Shōgatsu
by poryu
Summary: It's New Year's, and the first one where Zero hasn't been sent off on a hunter mission. He and Kaname have invited their friends over to ring in the new year together. After all, what better way is there to celebrate New Year's than with family and friends? Implied pairings: Kaname/Zero, Takuma/Shiki, Kain/Ruka
1. Ōmisoka - Toshikoshi Soba

**Author's Note:** Hey! I'm back with another story XD This fic was requested by **ben4kevin** on my Christmas fic, and I initially really had no idea what to write. But then I started to read about what the Japanese did during their New Year, and I thought it would be pretty fun to write about those traditions. And, instead of weaving yet another story just around Kaname and Zero, I thought it'd be more lively to include the other vampires that we all love so much :)

I had planned for a short, simple fic, but then I found I just could. not. stop. writing. And so now I have this lengthy first part. I found all the information I need online, so many thanks to the internet for this!

This feels a little like crack, seriously XD I don't know what my mind was thinking. But still, I hope you guys enjoy this! I had lots of fun writing it :)

**Disclaimer:** These characters belong to the wonderful **Matsuri Hino.**

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><p><em>Thud. <em>

_Thud thud._

Aidou looked up from the magazine he had been absentmindedly leafing through. 'What in the world is that _infernal _noise?'

His cousin raised an eyebrow, not looking up from his chess game. 'Zero said he was making something,' he remarked unhelpfully, before smoothly sliding his white bishop across the chessboard. 'Checkmate.'

The honey blonde vampire sitting across him scowled, oak-coloured eyes critically scanning the board for any possible moves to save her poor king. Finding none, she sighed in frustration, tossing her long hair over her shoulder as she leaned back in her seat.

'You win again, Akatsuki,' admitted Ruka sullenly.

Aidou stuck his tongue out and pretended to gag as his cousin grinned at his lover, leaning over the table to give her an affectionate peck on the lips.

_Thud. Thud._

The blonde's eyebrow twitched in irritation as more pounding sounds echoed from the kitchen. 'What _exactly_ is he doing? _Punching_ a chicken to death?'

Takuma looked up from the couch, where he was cuddling next to Shiki. 'Why don't you go see if he needs some help, Hanabusa?' smiled the noble calmly, eyes twinkling in amusement.

Shiki glanced away from the TV long enough to snort loudly, before his attention returned to the _Kōhaku Uta Gassen _program broadcast.

Kain and Ruka immediately cracked up, not even bothering to hold back their hearty laughs. _Aidou? _Helping out in the kitchen? Yeah, _right!_

'He'd destroy the place instead,' observed Rima from where she was perched on the window-seat, munching on some Pocky.

The blonde noble whirled around, cheeks turning red. 'Hey! What's that supposed to mean!?'

Kain chuckled, shaking his head. 'Don't tell me you've forgotten what happened the last time you stepped into that kitchen?'

Predictably, Aidou coloured, sputtering in indignation. 'That- that wasn't my fault! It was Kiryuu who started-'

_Thud._

Okay, he'd had it. He was fed up with whatever the hunter was doing. That annoying sound had to _stop._

Shooting the other vampires a 'this isn't over yet' look, he stomped out of the living room, marching straight for the kitchen.

_Thud._

Aidou burst through the door, growling in displeasure.

'Could you _stop_ with that infuriating sound? It really grates on my nerves!'

The shrieks and yelps that accompanied his exclamation had him blinking in surprise. Kaname-sama's three hired chefs had all jumped in shock, having been so concentrated on their preparations that they had not heard him stalking down the hall. Eyes wide in both surprise and apprehension, they swiftly bowed and apologised. He was their boss's guest, after all.

Guilt tugged at Aidou as he watched them dip into respectful bows. Looking closely at them, it was clear that _they _hadn't even been the ones making the noise. They were all bent over various plates of ingredients, some of which he could recognize, most he could not. There were black beans, skewered prawns, some sort of fish – but nothing that would require any loud pounding.

'Ah, I didn't mean...'

He trailed off, not knowing how to continue. It wasn't like he was going to _apologise_, of course. They were members of the staff! How could he bow his head in front of them!?

Regardless, a tinge of unease lingered within him as the trio smiled nervously and turned back to their work.

'Now you know how your voice sounds like to everyone around you,' came a dry voice from a corner of the kitchen.

Recognising that sardonic voice, Aidou's head snapped towards its source.

Zero had his back to him, a plain grey apron over his tee and jeans as he bent over the counter, arm muscles flexing as his hands applied controlled, even force to whatever he was working on.

_Thud._

'So it was _you_!'

The noble strode over to the hunter, crossing his arms as he glared at him. 'Why are you making such a ruckus? Kaname-sama is trying to get some work done!'

The hunter lifted one shoulder, wiping away the sweat trickling down from his temple with his sleeve. Without missing a heartbeat, Zero retorted, 'I imagine that your shouting is not doing him any favours, either.'

'It's because of you, isn't it!'

When Zero did not reply, eyes remaining focused on his task, Aidou fumed in outrage. _The audacity of this guy! So what if he was now Kaname-sama's lover? He had absolutely no respect for him!_

'Hey!' He hissed, ready to launch into another tirade.

Amethyst eyes lifted to meet his. 'Listen, Aidou, I don't have time for this right now. I'll argue with you later if you want, alright?' His distracted gaze slid to something behind the noble. 'Hey, hand me that rolling pin behind you, will you?'

The noble stared back at him, jaw hanging open. Had Kiryuu just dismissed him, as if he were a... a child?

Realising that Aidou was not going to be handing the utensil to him anytime soon, Zero rolled his eyes, sighing in exasperation.

'Never mind, you probably don't even know what it looks like anyway,' he muttered, reaching an arm around the noble to grab the wooden pin.

'Wha– _of course_ I know what it looks like,' bristled the noble, glaring daggers at him.

Zero ignored him, sprinkling starch onto the counter surface, before setting his kneaded dough down. For a second, Aidou briefly considered freezing the pin in his hands into a block of ice. Now _that _would get Kiryuu's attention, wouldn't it?

But, with great effort, he forced himself to restrain himself. The hunter was probably making something that Kaname-sama would eat as well. There was no sense in destroying the pureblood's meal just to get back at the hunter. He could always just freeze Kiryuu's legs, after all...

'Aidou, if all you're going to be doing is sulking and plotting, just leave. It's distracting all of us.'

The noble flushed guiltily. 'I'm not sulking!' he snapped.

It was the only thing in the hunter's words that he could deny, after all.

Zero rolled his eyes at the predictable response, before sprinkling some more starch powder on the top of the dough and the rolling pin. He set the pin firmly down in the centre of the dough, beginning to roll it out outward in long, even strokes.

Curious despite himself, Aidou peered down at the counter. 'What are you making?'

Tapping the edges of the dough in order to form straight lines, Zero continued rolling out the dough, occasionally sprinkling more starch powder when the dough started to stick to the pin. 'Toshikoshi soba,' he replied simply.

'Oh,' said Aidou, brows furrowing. 'Why?'

Zero scoffed as he skilfully shaped the dough into a perfect rectangle, rolling it out to make it as thin as possible. 'Because it's New Year's Eve and that's when people in Japan eat toshikoshi soba.'

Aidou exhaled in annoyance, riled up by the hunter's condescending tone. _Calm down, Hanabusa. He's Kaname-sama's lover. You _can't _kill him, no matter how much you want to._ 'No, I mean, don't most people just buy the noodles ready-made?'

Zero paused for a second, glancing up at him. 'I guess so. It's just that this will be the first time I'm spending New Year's with Kaname, so I thought I'd do something special.'

Aidou's eyes widened in surprise, not having expected to receive an honest answer. He remained silent for a few moments, watching the hunter's deft hands working the dough expertly. He had had some of Kiryuu's cooking before, of course, from the last time they'd all been over. Takuma and Kaname had both pushed him into making something for them. And he had reluctantly complied.

However, it was only now, watching him concentrating on his preparation, that Aidou realised how good Zero was in the kitchen. It was quite difficult to imagine that those hands, which so easily took away the lives of many an 'E', could move so nimbly and create such delicious, mouth-watering creations.

Zero seemed to be just as surprised by his own truthful reply. Shaking his head as if to erase the strange memory, his attention returned to his dough. _Concentrate on the soba, the soba. _Scattering a handful of starch over the dough, he carefully folded it in half. Continually adding starch powder, he folded the dough again and again, until a small, rectangular block sat on the counter.

Reaching into a drawer, Zero drew out a long, sharp knife. When Aidou stiffened imperceptibly, he chuckled in amusement.

'I'm not going to kill you Aidou... not here, at least, and definitely not with a _kitchen _knife.'

Heat suffused the blonde's cheeks. It wasn't that he'd been _afraid,_ _hell_ no_. _He just had not expected the hunter to suddenly draw out a knife. It had been a knee-jerk reaction, just like flinching away after accidentally bumping into a boiling pot. All vampires were taught from young to be wary of a weapon-yielding hunter; that was how they survived.

But he was fully aware that protesting agitatedly, as he was prone to doing, would only make him seem more pathetic. So instead, he settled for a haughty 'you couldn't touch me even if you tried.'

The hunter snorted in derision but said nothing. He took a deep breath, calming his mind and relaxing his hands. Then he lowered the knife carefully but unhesitatingly, cutting the rectangular slab into thin strips. Aidou watched, impressed despite himself. The hunter's hands were practically flying across the dough, straight, parallel lines dividing the dough evenly. Kiryuu's kitchen work had the same style as the one he did for the Association – clean, swift and efficient. It was a breath-taking experience watching him in action... even though Aidou would never admit that on pain of death.

Once Zero was finally done, he released a soft breath, wiping the back of his hand across his forehead.

'Miki, is the water ready? The noodles are done.'

The unknown name had Aidou's brow furrowing, until he heard a soft 'yes, Zero-sama', and turned to see one of the staff bending over a bubbling pot on the stove. _Oh, right. _He had been so absorbed in their conversation that he had almost forgotten they were not alone in the kitchen.

Zero gathered the soba noodles in a bowl before making his way over to the stove. Not quite sure what to do with himself, Aidou followed behind. He watched as the hunter tossed a handful of salt into the pot, before dropping the noodles in as well. Zero glanced up briefly at the digital clock on the clock, crossing over to the sink in a few long strides. He grabbed the empty bowl that sat next to the sink, dumping half a packet of ice into it, before filling it up with water and setting it aside. Opening a cupboard, he grabbed a large metal strainer, placing it over the sink.

His eyes flashed back to the clock, Aidou's eyes following suit. 11.06pm. Exactly one minute after he'd added the noodles. Zero returned to the boiling water, turning off the flame. Lifting the pot easily, he made his way back to the kitchen, draining the contents through the strainer he'd prepared. After rinsing and tossing the steaming noodles under the tap, Zero smoothly dunked the noodles into the ice water. The noodles were then drained and taken onto another counter where eleven empty bowls waited.

As Zero grabbed a fork and tongs from the drawer, Aidou finally spoke up. 'Hey, uh, I can help you portion out the noodles, if you want.'

When the hunter eyed him warily, the noble huffed in indignation. 'Takuma asked me to come help. That's why I'm here.'

There was no need for him to admit that Takuma had only been half-serious when he said that, and that the rest of the vampires had all cracked up laughing. No need. No need whatsoever.

'You sure? I could've sworn you came by just to make a fuss about the noise.'

The noble growled, even though he couldn't help the tell-tale flush that coloured his cheeks. '_Yes, _I'm _sure. _Now, just give me that.'

A small knowing smile on his face, Zero relented, letting the blonde grab the utensils. Silently, the two of them distributed the noodles evenly among the bowls.

'Zero-sama, I've heated up the sauce you prepared earlier, said Miki shyly, approaching the counter with a hot saucepan in her hand.

The hunter turned towards her, features softening in a warm smile. 'Thank you, Miki. You've been a great help.'

Aidou's sharp senses registered a sudden spike in the young vampire's heart rate, her quickened breathing, as well as the very obvious blush that turned her whole face beetroot. He quirked an eyebrow, shooting the hunter an amused smile. _Interesting... Does Kaname-sama know about this?_

Zero scowled at him, shaking his head firmly. Amethyst eyes narrowed, a threatening glint in their depths. _You'd better not say anything, Aidou._

'Ah, why are there three extra bowls, Zero-sama?'

The hunter's attention was dragged away from their silent battle and back to the petite brunette. She had already filled eight bowls with the mirin and dashi sauce, but was looking quizzically at the last three bowls.

'Ah, that's right,' remarked Aidou loudly, as if just realising it for the first time. 'Counting Seiren, who's not here yet, there should be only eight of us, right?' He grinned at the hunter, shaking his head in mock sympathy. 'Looks like someone didn't do so well in Math class back at the Night Academy, huh?'

Zero shot the noble a withering glance. It was clear the noble knew _exactly_ why there were extra bowls. There was no way he could have missed that while they were dividing the noodles.

He turned back to Miki, still maintaining his smile. He had long known been aware of the kitchen apprentice's crush on him. It wasn't really difficult to tell, after all. Even though she had no chance at all with him, he could not force himself to try to keep a cool distance. She was such a sweet, innocent girl. In a way, she reminded him of Yuuki. And that made it pretty damn impossible for him to ignore her. Hence, despite the fact that perhaps he was encouraging her affections, he treated her just like how he had treated his foster sister. With great affection.

Of course, Kaname had no idea that there was a young, doe-eyed female pining for him. The pureblood hardly visited the kitchen, after all. Zero was not worried about his lover doing anything extreme like firing her, of course, but him knowing would still be more trouble than it was worth. As such, he had made no mention of it.

Now he just needed to make sure Aidou kept his lips tightly zipped...

'Zero-sama?'

Shaking his head lightly to clear the thoughts away, Zero placed a hand gently on her shoulder, causing her to jump, blush intensifying.

'These three bowls are for you, of course,' he said, gesturing to the three kitchen staff. 'Did you think I wouldn't be making enough for you?'

The other two staff glanced up from their work, surprise evident on their faces.

'Oh, Zero-sama, it is an honour to be able to eat something you made personally!'

'Thank you so much, Zero-sama!'

The hunter's smile turned slightly sheepish as the chefs proceeded to thank him profusely. Apparently, they _had_ indeed thought he would not be making them any. _Geez, how heartless do they think I am...?_

'A-ah, Zero-sama... T-thank you,' stammered Miki, her eyes unable to meet his. 'I'm so happy I can eat something y-you made...'

Zero chuckled softly, ruffling her short hair playfully. 'It's no problem, Miki. You helped me make it, after all.'

_Her whole face is so red that I think she might just spontaneously burst into flame_, observed a shaking Aidou. He was biting his lip in order to hold back his laugh, a hand pressed against his mouth just in case it leaked out. _Oh god, this is hilarious. Kiryuu is gonna get it _so _bad later._

'Alright, so this is all done now. I think we can serve this now,' announced Zero tiredly, resolutely refusing to meet the noble's gaze.

Aidou straightened, glancing over his shoulder to the other two chefs who were still in the midst of their preparation. 'What about them? They're not ready yet.'

Zero looked up from where he was loading a large silver tray with the bowls, following the direction of his gaze. 'That's the Osechi for tomorrow, Aidou. Didn't you see the _jūbako_ stacked up in the corner there?'

'Oh, right,' muttered the blonde absentmindedly. He had not noticed the stacked boxes perched on the edge of the counter. That explained the weird assortment of ingredients spread all over the surface.

'One would think you've never celebrated New Year's before...'

The noble whirled around defensively. 'I was just too distracted by you and the horrible racket you were making to really pay attention!'

'How careless of you. I wonder if your Kaname-sama would forgive such an oversight,' remarked the hunter, in a completely deadpan voice.

In a fluid motion, he picked up the loaded tray, heading toward the door. Since his back was turned toward Aidou, only Miki could see the huge grin on the hunter's face as he strode out of the kitchen.

'Why you...!'

As Aidou rushed along behind the hunter, hurling curses and threats at him all the way to the dining room, the young apprentice giggled softly, before her gaze fell upon the three steaming bowls of toshikoshi soba.

_Oh, Zero-sama...You're such a kind person._

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><p><strong>XD I just love Aidou... :D And the bantering between him and Zero :) As for the 'previous time when Aidou stepped into the kitchen', I was actually thinking of the food fight in one of Blackened Wing's amazing fics. Somehow whenever I write Kaname and Zero together, her universe and characters are what come to mind. But you can use your imagination. It can be anything as ridiculous as you'd like.<strong>

**So I hope you all liked this! Please leave me a review so I know whether I should continue. THANK YOU FOR READING! :D Thank you ben4kevin for inspiring me to write this! :)**


	2. Ōmisoka - Love and Friendship

**Author's Note**: Hello everyone! Thanks for the feedback on the previous chapter! I'm really glad you guys enjoyed it, because the more I read it, the more ridiculous it sounded to me XD Apparently my mind has not had enough yet though, because it churned out this whole new chapter! Hope you guys enjoy this as well! :)

**Disclaimer:** These characters belong to **Matsuri Hino.**

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><p>Kaname sighed wearily, leaning forward to rest his head on his hands. He had been on the phone all evening, negotiating a potential business deal. Those crafty old foxes had tried their very best to squeeze as much out of him as possible, fighting for unreasonable gains to be had from this agreement. As though merely being associated with him and his company wasn't incentive enough. If not for the fact that this deal was absolutely crucial to the future development and expansion of his business, he would've slammed down the phone the second they started going 'so, Kaname-kun, what else are you prepared to offer for this to happen?'<p>

He couldn't show how eager he was to have this deal sealed in black and white, because that would be a weakness those wily old purebloods would have eagerly pounced on. Instead, he'd had to appear cool and unaffected, as if he didn't give a damn about whether it all worked out or not. It had been completely exhausting doing this for _hours_, but at least it had all come through in the end. Seiren was there now, making sure that everything was proceeding as planned, that he wouldn't get any nasty surprises when he received the contract.

A soft knock at his study door broke him out of his thoughts.

'Kaname, are you finished? It's time to eat.'

A smile broke out across his face at the familiar voice, the creases in his weary face vanishing instantly. Opening the door with his mind, Kaname turned to gaze appreciatively at his silver-haired lover, slightly sweaty and still donning the apron Kaname had gotten him for Christmas.

'Zero. You're a real sight for sore eyes, you know?' He crossed over to where the hunter stood, arms encircling the other's waist adoringly.

'You smell good, Zero,' murmured Kaname into his ear. 'I'd gladly eat _you_...'

His lover's warm breath against his skin made Zero shiver lightly. At the pureblood's light chuckle, the hunter scowled up at him. 'There's no time for that, Kaname. Everyone's waiting downstairs.'

The pureblood nuzzled his face into his lover's neck, arms winding more tightly around him. 'I'm sure they wouldn't mind waiting just a little longer...'

Zero shook his head in fond exasperation, arms automatically curling around his back to return the embrace. There _really_ was no time for this, but Kaname just looked so drained, his whole body tense and wound-up. He knew the pureblood had been working much too hard recently. If not for his constant nagging, Kaname probably would coop himself up in his study all day, not even touching his meals. If Zero could relieve his lover's pain, even a little...

'Just for a second, okay?' he said softly, arms lightly stroking up and down the planes of Kaname's back.

'Mmm,' agreed the pureblood, closing his eyes as he burrowed his face further against the hunter's neck. He took a deep breath, inhaling his lover's familiar, unique scent, combined with the aroma of various dishes that he had probably been making.

Zero smiled softly as the muscles under his hands relaxed, the tension gradually leaving Kaname's body. 'Better?' he asked quietly.

Kaname grinned against his skin. 'Much,' he replied, tongue flicking out for a taste of the irresistible creamy skin before him. 'Much, _much_ better.'

The hunter yelped in surprise, immediately pulling away to glower at him. 'Kaname! I told you there's no time for this!'

The pureblood chuckled, drawing his reluctant lover back into his arms again. 'Alright, alright. Then, how about just a kiss?'

Zero eyed him warily, before exhaling loudly. 'Only if you promise to behave while the rest are here.'

'You drive a hard bargain, Zero,' muttered the pureblood, grimacing. 'Are you sure you're not secretly learning from my business competitors?'

Piercing amethyst eyes stared silently up at him, unimpressed. Recognising the stubborn set of his jaw and the unrelenting look in his eyes, Kaname sighed, putting his hands up in mock surrender.

'Okay, I _promise_. Now, hurry up and kiss me already.'

Grinning in triumph, Zero leaned in.

XXX

'These noodles are truly delicious, Zero. I'll have to get the recipe from you later,' remarked Takuma, chewing on the soba with great relish.

'They really are amazing,' agreed Kain.

As the others chimed in in agreement, Zero lowered his gaze to his own bowl, before murmuring a quiet 'thanks'. It wasn't _that _great... they didn't have to make such a big fuss about it.

'You don't have to be embarrassed, Zero,' said Kaname, chuckling lightly at his lover's discomfort. 'It really is great.'

The hunter glowered at him. The pureblood sure was having fun at his expense, wasn't he? Just wait until they were alone... he would be sure to give him a piece of his mind later.

'Ah, that's right,' exclaimed Takuma as he, too, noticed the slight pink on Zero's cheeks. 'Don't be embarrassed, Zero. It's a sincere compliment. None of us could ever make something like this.'

Ruka glanced up at the noble, an annoyed crease between her elegantly arched brows. 'Speak for yourself, Ichijou! Some of us happen to have skills in the kitchen too, you know.'

Beside her, Kain froze in the middle of picking up some noodles.

Seeing his chance to finally get back at his cousin for all those times he made fun of him, Aidou perked up. 'What, is that true, Kain? Does our dear Ruka cook well?'

He knew the answer, of course. Growing up, he and Kain had been the poor, hapless victims of the honey blonde's attempts at cooking. No matter how unpalatable the dish turned out to be, they were made to finish everything set out in front of them. Kain, because he was trying not to hurt Ruka's feelings; Aidou, because she threatened to kill him if he didn't.

Kain shot the blonde a furious glare, before continuing on with his meal, as if nothing had happened.

Sensing his refusal to answer the question, Ruka turned to him, an eyebrow raised. 'What, Kain? Do you not agree?'

Aidou burst out laughing as his cousin choked in the middle of drinking from his bowl. He hurriedly put it down, coughing and pounding on his chest. Ruka glared at the blonde, before slapping her lover's back with more force that was necessary.

'What are you _doing_, Kain...? Was what I said so disagreeable with you?'

The other vampires at the table bit back grins as poor Kain recovered himself and hastily shook his head. 'No, no, not at all, Ruka. I love your cooking, really I do.'

Ruka smiled sweetly, an evil gleam in her eye. 'That's good. I'll cook you a special meal next week then.'

Aidou guffawed as Kain paled slightly. 'I hope you enjoy the _delicious_ meal, Kain.'

'Oh, Aidou? You're eating too,' came a sweet, syrupy voice.

Now it was his turn to turn white. 'No, no, I-I've got something on, Ruka. I can't make it.'

Ruka's eyes shifted to fix on his. 'Oh, you're coming, Aidou,' she stated simply.

The blonde gulped. _Crap. Looks like his attempts to tease his cousin backfired...again. Why did things like this always happen to him?_

The other vampires continued slurping at their noodles, hiding their smiles and inaudible laughter behind their bowls. No one wanted to be the third victim, after all. Women...could be scary when they wanted.

Shiki suddenly stood up, drawing the attention of everyone else at the table. 'Thank you for the delicious meal, Kaname-sama, Zero.'

'Shiki? Where are you going?' wondered Takuma in puzzlement. Surely it couldn't be that he was... _leaving, _right_?_ They had all been invited to spend the whole New Year's at the pureblood's house, and the red-head had not made any mention of having to leave earlier.

'Ah, no. It's just that it's now 11.30. I want to see which team wins.'

And with that cryptic reply, he left the dining room, nodding politely at the other vampires.

'What in the world is he talking about?' exclaimed Aidou, staring after him with an incredulous expression.

Takuma gulped down the last of his soup, gently replacing it on the table. 'It's the results for _Kōhaku Uta Gassen. _We've been hoping that the red team wins.'

He smiled warmly at Kaname and Zero. 'Thank you very much for the soba, Zero. It was wonderful.' He stood up, picking up his bowl and starting to head towards the kitchen.

Seeing that, Zero immediately got to his feet, chair scraping the floor behind him. 'It's alright, Ichijou, I'll take care of that. You go join Shiki.'

The blonde blinked at him, still smiling serenely. 'Oh no, it's no trouble at all.'

The hunter shook his head stubbornly, reaching across the table to grab the bowl out of Takuma's hands. 'You're a guest here, Ichijou. I'm already done, anyway.'

'Plus,' he continued, giving a knowing smile. 'You want to see the results too, don't you?'

The noble smiled sheepishly. He could not deny that. Besides, he couldn't very well snatch the bowl back from Zero now, could he?

'Then, thank you very much, Zero,' he said sincerely, before turning to join his lover in the living room.

Kaname watched as his lover gathered up the rest of the bowls, since everyone had already finished eating. 'You know, Zero, the staff will come to clean this up. You don't have to do it.'

'I know,' replied the hunter, not glancing up from what he was doing. 'But it was the only way to get him to go.' He met the pureblood's gaze for a fraction of a second, grinning widely.

Kaname shook his head in amusement as he watched Zero leave the room, bowls piled up in one hand.

XXX

'I can't believe the white team won,' grumbled Shiki as he tugged absent-mindedly at the front of his kimono. 'The red team was so much better! I can't believe this...'

Takuma gently pulled Shiki's hand away from the fabric. 'Stop fiddling with it, Shiki, you're going to make it come loose.'

Instead of releasing his lover's hand, he tucked it smoothly into his. 'Here, I'll hold this for you so that it won't spoil how lovely you look.'

A light blush spread across Shiki's face, almost the same shade as the light pink kimono he was wearing. Takuma grinned, enjoying the adorable picture that his lover painted. Shiki had protested at first at the overly-feminine colour of the kimono Takuma had gifted him, but when even _Aidou _couldn't deny that he pulled it off well, he had (very reluctantly) agreed to wear it out.

Dressed in a baby blue kimono, Rima gave a small smile as she watched Shiki glance away from his lover embarrassedly. She had been never seen her close friend as expressive and happy as when he was with Takuma.

_Their relationship did him good_, surmised Rima. She was truly glad that Shiki finally had someone who could make him smile so genuinely. Taking another bite of her Pocky, she continued walking on. Together with Seiren, who was dressed simply in grey, they made up the back of their little band. Kaname's bodyguard was silent, her expression calm and unaffected. However, her eyes were constantly scanning the area, on guard for any possible threats or harm that could befall them.

'Relax a little, Seiren,' murmured Rima quietly. The other female was always too serious and uptight. Even Kaname-sama's right-hand woman should be able to have some fun on an occasion such as this, shouldn't she? 'Want some Pocky?'

The silver-haired noble's imperturbable gaze shifted onto her. In the awkward silence that followed, Rima thought her offer would be rejected. However, much to her surprise, Seiren reached out and pulled one stick out from the proffered box.

'Thanks, Rima,' she said softly, before returning to her silent watchfulness.

Rima turned back to the front, her smile wider than it had been before.

Up ahead, Aidou was doing his very best to wheedle his way out of the meal Ruka had promised to make.

'Come on, Ruka, I don't want to suffer from food poisoning! I've got a date coming up, a _date!'_

Kain's eyes flickered over to his cousin in surprise, before he shook his head grimly. 'Who's the unlucky girl, 'busa? Does she know what she's getting herself into?'

Aidou growled in irritation, shoving his cousin. 'What the – Kain, you bastard!'

Caught off-guard by the rough push, Kain stumbled against Ruka, who almost tripped over the long hem of her graceful, pale violet kimono.

'Hanabusa...! You _idiot_!'

Shouting and quarrelling then ensued, with the hot-headed cousins proceeding to shove and elbow each other.

_Still acting like children even at this age_, thought Kain in exasperation. Heaving a longsuffering sigh, he stepped between his lover and his cousin, once again serving as the mediator to calm them both down.

At the very head of the group, Kaname and Zero were walking together, both attempting to ignore the ruckus behind them. Zero was dressed in a dark blue kimono that Kaname had had specially made for him. The delicate fabric contrasted nicely with his silver hair, drawing attention to its unique colouring. Kaname himself was wearing carmine, a colour that Zero thought suited him perfectly well. It matched his eyes, and complemented his pale skin.

'Tonight's a beautiful night,' commented Zero, eyes drawn to the moon above them. It was full and round, basking their surroundings with a peaceful, luminous glow.

'It is,' agreed the pureblood. He turned slightly, and was immediately captivated by his lover's moonlit, upturned face. Zero's skin and features were all so flawless, the living embodiment of sheer perfection...

Unable to resist touching him, he put an arm around Zero's slender waist, drawing him close.

'But even her beauty pales in comparison to yours, Zero,' whispered Kaname alluringly into his ear. 'You look beautiful. Not just tonight, but every night as well.'

The hunter tensed, despite the heat that suffused his cheeks at his lover's earnest words. 'You promised, Kaname. Behave yourself!'

The pureblood chuckled lightly. 'I'm just holding you, Zero. I'm not going to do anything. You know I always keep my promises.'

Zero rolled his eyes, relaxing against his lover's warmth despite his earlier protests. 'Not when the situation involves your lower body, no, you don't'.'

'Guilty as charged,' laughed Kaname, arm tightening around his lover.

Zero didn't pull away. Instead, he tilted his head, letting it rest lightly against the pureblood's shoulder. He usually didn't like behaving so intimately in front of the others like this, but it was such a nice feeling being held by Kaname this way. Walking together on New Year's Eve under the full moon. It was what lovers did, wasn't it? It wasn't like the others weren't already aware of their relationship, after all. He had no real reason not to do as his heart desired.

'Giving in already, are we? Regret forcing me to make that promise?'

Zero snorted, a grin on his face.

'You wish, Kaname. You wish.'

* * *

><p><strong>More Japanese traditions in the next chapter! Thank you guys so much for reading! Please leave me your thoughts in a review :D I'm slightly worried about whether the characters are <em>too<em> OOC. I'm not as used to writing the other vampires as I am Kaname and Zero. So do tell me if I'm portraying them _too_ wrongly. Thanks :)**

**Replies to reviews:**

**Guest: **Thank you for being the first reviewer for this fic! :) I'm really happy you like the story. Oh, regarding the KZ pairing - that's actually the fandom that I am most passionate about, so it's the one that I write for. As for how this all happens, and how Yuuki isn't in the picture, I would like to refer you to Blackened Wing's fanfics. She weaved a plot so believable and amazing that it feels almost like canon to me haha. Her story is, imo, the best one that describes the transition from the relationships in the manga/anime to K and Z being in a relationship. So, if you're interested, do check it out! :) Thank you for the compliment as well! I try my best :) Thank you again for taking the time to leave a review! :)

**Guest: **I love them together too! Hope the short lovey-dovey parts between them in this chapter are satisfying :) And I'm so glad you thought that Aidou was cute here! That was what I was kinda going for, but wasn't sure I achieved, so thank you! And thank you so much for the review! :)

**kanamexzero fan:** HAHAHA I LOL-ed at the 'wah...new one'! I've been writing so much lately hahah. Too much, maybe XD Thank you so much for your sweet review! So glad you enjoyed it :)

**God-d-e-ss Eternity:** I'm so glad you think this is good! Such a nice thing to say :D This fic is actually concentrating more on their New Year's celebrations, the traditions of the Japanese... which is kinda taking me ages to write because I keep getting side-tracked by all the interactions between the characters. Thank you so much for leaving a review! Hope you enjoy this chapter as well :)

**ben4kevin:** So glad you thought Aidou was cute! And yay, I'm really happy you like Miki too! An OC that just popped out from nowhere. Thank you so much for your all your reviews and support, and I hope you like this chapter! :)


	3. Hatsumōde

**Author's Note:** This update took longer than usual... though with due cause, because this chapter is much longer than the previous two! I'm exhausted, but it was so much fun!

I would also like to state that I'm taking quite a lot of liberties with all the Japanese traditions I'm writing about. I'm basing it all on what I find on the internet, and using them as I like in this story, so some things may not actually be very realistic. Hahaha. Hope you enjoy this anyway!

**Disclaimer:** Characters belong to **Matsuri Hino**.

* * *

><p><em>Shove.<em>

'Ah, I'm very sorry, young man.'

Zero forced a smile at the elderly woman, giving her a polite nod.

_Push._

'Kyaa! I'm so sorry!'

'It's fine,' muttered the hunter, through clenched teeth.

_ Jostle._

Zero's eyebrow twitched threateningly, and he didn't even bother responding to the apology this time.

Kaname could not hold back his chuckle at the annoyed scowl on his lover's face. He stepped closer behind him, putting his arms around him, creating a small protective barrier between him and the jostling crowd of people. As a particularly rough group of people pushed by them, he angled his elbows out, pushing back against them.

'Kaname, I'm not a child,' commented the hunter dryly, frowning at him over his shoulder. 'I can take care of myself.'

The pureblood met his glower with a mega-watt smile, not releasing him. 'I know. But I _like_ taking care of you.'

Despite his slight annoyance at how the pureblood seemed to think he was vulnerable and needed protection, Zero could not help the warmth filling his body at those words. _He always knows exactly what to say in response to my protests. I never can outtalk him and his smooth lines. _Zero shook his head in resignation.

Knowing his objections would only continue to be ignored, he turned back to face the front, weaving through the crowd, Kaname steadfastly sticking to him like a leech.

Well, that was a pretty apt representation, thinking about it...

'Argh, this is infuriating. There are _too many _people here!'

Aidou growled as someone jostled against him. He whirled around, eyes blazing, ready to tear into the person.

'Oh, no, I'm so sorry!' apologised a young, pretty woman, looking up at him worriedly.

The blonde's stormy expression instantly disappeared.

'A lady like you has no need to apologise. It is my honour to be able to bump into someone as lovely as you,' he declared, flashing his most charming smile.

Kain rolled his eyes as his cousin effortlessly slipped into his 'Idol' mode. Back when they were still at the Academy, his flirtatious remarks and winning smile had easily deceived every female in the school. It had been such an award-winning act that none of them had ever realised what an arrogant, tempestuous jerk the noble really was.

'A-ah,' stammered the woman, blushing down to the roots of her short, auburn hair. 'T-thank you.'

Aidou stepped closer towards her, hand reaching out for hers. However, the next second, the mob of people behind her surged forward, and her petite frame was carried away from them.

'Hey!' yelled Aidou in chagrin, trying to vain to grab hold of her hand... her clothes... something_, anything_. 'Be careful you idiots! There's no need to shove a lady!'

He whipped his head around, craning to catch a sight of her. _Ah, right there...!_

'Give it up, Hanabusa,' sighed Kain, reflexively grabbing his cousin's obi to stop him from trying to chase after her. 'Don't go hunting down every attractive woman you meet.'

Aidou gasped in shock as he was jerked back roughly. 'You bastard, that _hurt! _Besides, I _do not!'_

'You were just about to do it,' chimed in Ruka, shaking her head. She was eyeing the humans all around them with more than just a little distaste. Honestly, these _humans!_ Pushing and shoving at anyone who got in their way. And they thought that _vampires_ were the beasts. Them, with their wars and genocides and needless killings. Did they think they were oh so very civilised? They just needed to look around to realise the truth. She scoffed audibly.

'It sure is crowded here, isn't it,' muttered Shiki in annoyance from behind them. He, too, was eyeing the crowd unhappily. His dark mood probably also stemmed from the fact that anyone who caught sight of him did a double take, as if making sure that what they were seeing was, indeed, a male in a pink kimono. _This is all Takuma's fault...!_

Said culprit was beaming as he took in the scene all around them, as if he were _enjoying_ being packed together with _hundreds_ of people like sardines in a can. 'That's because it's almost midnight, Shiki! Everyone's waiting to watch the Joya no Kane. It's such an amazing experience watching them ring the bell. Don't you feel so alive and energized just being in the middle of all this hustle and bustle?'

The glower that his lover shot him very, _very_ clearly expressed his vehement disagreement.

Takuma blinked. 'Oh, well then. That's quite the pity,' he said regretfully. Then he brightened, his eyes having spotted some stalls set up outside the shrine. 'Look, they have Taiyaki over there! It smells heavenly. Let's go get some after this, okay?'

Before Shiki could answer, a sudden gong echoed around the shrine.

Everyone immediately hushed, their discomfort and jostling forgotten for the moment as they all turned towards the shōrō (bell tower), where about fifteen monks stood before the huge temple bonshō (bell). Each held a rope in his hand that connected to the large wooden shumoku suspended in the air. This was the beam that would be used to strike the bronze bell.

'Oh, it's starting!' came a child's shrill cry, before his mother shushed him.

The monks swung the beam back and forth a few times, before letting it strike the bell again. All the shrine visitors, even our dear Aidou, remained silent as the bell was struck, over and over again. One hundred and eight chimes rang out clearly across the silent area, symbolizing the purification of the hundred and eight delusions and desires in the mortal world. With each chime, it was like the listeners were slowly becoming reborn, piece by piece, as their sufferings and sins of the previous year were washed away, and they re-emerged – pure, and ready for the new year ahead.

As the final gong sounded, the clock struck midnight exactly. All around them, whoops and shrieks of 'Akemashite omedetō!' could be heard. Friends laughed and shook hands; families embraced; lovers kissed.

'Happy New Year, Zero,' murmured Kaname tenderly, his cheek resting lightly against his lover's silky silver strands. His arms shifted to snake around his torso, holding him tightly from behind.

Zero turned his upper body slightly, amethyst eyes meeting burgundy ones as he pressed their lips together in a soft kiss. 'Happy New Year, Kaname,' he repeated, in an equally gentle tone.

The corners of Takuma's lips turned up as he watched the pair's lips meet again in a longer, deeper kiss. He pulled his own lover into his arms, embracing him affectionately as he repeated the New Year greeting.

Putting aside his earlier intention to berate the blonde for making him wear such an unusual colour, Shiki relaxed in his embrace, hands sliding up Takuma's chest to wrap around his neck. 'Happy New Year, Takuma.'

As Kain, too, wrapped his hands around Ruka's slim waist, pulling her close, Aidou groaned irritably, before deliberately turning away from his friends. It seemed like _everyone _around him had a lover, damn it_. _It was beyond annoying! All that touching and kissing – _ugh. _

Even though Aidou would never have admitted it, the strongest emotion that welled up when he saw his friends acting all lovey-dovey with one another was neither disgust nor annoyance.

It was _envy._

Even if he wasn't particularly aware of it, Aidou, too, wanted someone special. All his life, as far as he could remember, females had flocked to him in droves. But it was always either for his looks, or his family's status. No one had ever tried to get to know _him. _And even though he put up an amazing show of not needing anyone, sometimes, when he was with Kain and Ruka, he got sucked into a dark pool of depression and self-pity so deep that he could barely crawl out.

His mother, ever the observant one, had probably sensed that. And that was likely why she had arranged a blind date for him without his knowledge.

When she had finally told him about it, he had been absolutely _furious. _What normal, gorgeous male needed his _mother_ to find him a girlfriend!? He had threatened to leave the house and never come back if she forced him to go. _That_ was how outraged and ashamed he had been.

And then... and then... Sakura _herself_ had shown up at his door, saying that she wanted to meet him before agreeing to their date. It wasn't just her breath-taking beauty that had captivated Aidou. (Though that had been the first thing, of course.) It was her sweet personality, big heart, and willingness to _listen_ to him. There had been an instant connection between them, one that Aidou couldn't, and didn't, hope to deny. And thus, despite his frustration at his mother, he had agreed to the date.

He exhaled. Everything was hinging on that date next week. It _had _to go well. It just _had _to. And then Kain and Ruka could no longer make fun of him for being undesirable. They would watch in stupefaction, mouths hanging open, as the beautiful Sakura glided into their house on _his _arm, introduced by him as _his _girlfriend.

Of course, they must never, _ever_ find out that his mother had set him up on a blind date. He would _never_ be able to live that down.

XXX

After what seemed like hours of queuing, the vampires were finally able to reach the kondō (main hall), where they each made their prayers for the new year. Health, success, love – these were repeated over and over again in each wish to the deity.

Following that, Takuma got his wish of getting some Taiyaki, while the others braved the crowd at the yakitori stall to get a taste of the shrine's famous delicacy.

'It's really delicious,' admitted Zero, biting off a hunk of steaming chicken meat. 'But not worth getting squashed and stampeded for.'

'_Nothing _is worth this,' exclaimed Aidou, scowling furiously as he leaned against Kain, rubbing his feet. 'Dammit, this really hurts! I swear, _everyone _in there was stomping on my feet.'

'I thought I saw Kain getting a stomp in too,' stated Rima casually, munching on her yakitori with deep relish.

'Wha – Are you serious?' Aidou pushed away from his cousin, shooting him a murderous glare.

Kain's hands whipped up defensively, eyes wide as he shot Rima a reproaching glare. 'Hey! I did not!'

A layer of ice started to coat the yakitori in Kain's hands. 'Oi, Hanabusa, cut it out! I didn't do it, I swear!'

'As if I'll believe you!' growled the blonde, stepping closer towards him. 'You're dead meat, Akatsuki!'

'You should, though, Hanabusa. He really didn't do it,' remarked Ruka calmly, drawing both cousins' attentions.

Then her lips twisted into an evil smirk.

'Because _I _was the one who did it.'

'Ruka, you...!'

...

...

...

'Aidou. That's quite enough.'

'But, Kaname-sama! Ruka's the one-'

'I don't _care_ who started it. Unfreeze her from that tree right this instant.'

'...Yes, Kaname-sama.'

XXX

'Oh, come on! You _owe_ me!'

'Why do _I _owe _you!?'_

'You tried to break my foot! And I could've left you stuck on that tree just now, but I didn't!'

'Oh, save it, Hanabusa. I would've gotten free in a second. We both know it was your fear of Kaname-sama that had you reacting like a skittish little kitten.'

'You-!'

Zero exhaled through gritted teeth, eyes closing as he fought to stop himself from going over to Aidou and Ruka and banging their heads together repeatedly. _Why the heck are they making such a fuss!? It's like they're children, honestly!_

'Besides, that's what it says right here. It's already set in stone. There's absolutely nothing I can do about it.'

With a satisfied little huff, Ruka tossed her hair over her shoulder, before turning on her heel and stalking off.

'Argh! Unbelievable! Stupid Ruka!'

'Aidou,' hissed Zero through clenched teeth, trying his best – and failing miserably – to keep his voice calm and even. 'What's wrong _now?'_

Aidou whirled around, his eyes uncharacteristically widened with anxiety, shoving a slip of paper in Zero's face.

The hunter peered down at the paper. 'What? Isn't this your omikuji? What exactly are you-'

'Look at what it says under "Sickness", dammit!' cut in Aidou rudely.

_No, Zero. No killing anyone tonight, no matter how much they might be asking for it. It's the New Year. Tomorrow – just wait till tomorrow. _

Taking a few deep breaths to calm himself, Zero snatched the paper roughly away from the blonde, almost tearing it in the process.

_Sickness: The important thing is to pray to God that you will get well._

'You see? _You see?_'

See_ what? _Zero stared at Aidou in complete perplexment. The noble was clutching his hair forcefully in his fists, so agitated he was almost pulling out the blond strands. The scene before him was so ridiculous that even though Zero did not comprehend what was happening, amusement was quickly overshadowing his initial annoyance.

'Aidou... what in the_ world_ are you talking about?'

'It's food poisoning, you dolt! I'm going to get food poisoning from Ruka's "cooking"!'

Zero frowned in bewilderment. 'Why-'

As if he had not even heard him speak, Aidou continued agitatedly, face getting redder by the second. 'On hers, it says that the visitor she is expecting will definitely come.'

He paused for a second, waiting for a response from the hunter. When Zero continued looking at him blankly, he threw his hands up in the air in exasperation.

'Don't you see? That's _me! _I'm going to go to her place for her meal, and then I'm going to get sick, so sick that praying is my only salvation!'

He sunk his face into his hands, his groaning muffled. 'That Ruka is going to get me killed with the poison she calls "food"! And right before my date with Sakura-chan too!'

For a few seconds, all Zero could do in the wake of Aidou's... _breakdown_... was just stare at him. His jaw hung open slightly as he regarded the noble, not quite knowing what to say.

And then, when he finally realised that Aidou was seriously throwing a fit because of the _omikuji_, the corners of his lips slowly started creeping upward.

'Pfft!'

Aidou's head snapped up. Zero had a fist pressed firmly against his mouth, but from the way his body was shaking, as well as the occasional chortle escaping his lips, it was beyond obvious that the hunter was laughing.

At _him._

He bristled. 'Is this some sort of a joke to you!?'

Still shaking with laughter, Zero had to take a few seconds to calm himself down before he could answer.

'Do you– do you really believe in what a _fortune-telling paper _says?'

'Wha–what's wrong with that!?' demanded the noble hotly, cheeks flushing despite himself.

Okay, sure, maybe it was _slightly _irrational to believe in something like this. Most shrine-goers drew their fortunes simply for the fun of it, not because they truly believed in it. But, so what? Most people didn't believe that vampires existed, either. Yet here _they_ were, standing right in the middle of a packed shrine on New Year's Day.

Who could be sure what was real and what wasn't? No one could prove that a divine being _didn't_ exist. So what was wrong with him choosing to believe that maybe it was fate that had resulted in him drawing this particular lot?

'Aidou... Can vampires even_ get_ food poisoning?' Zero was doing his best to hold back his chuckles, he _really_ was, but nothing he was doing was very effective. _I've always thought that Aidou would be the death of me... but I never imagined it would be from **laughter**._

The blonde blinked. 'I-I don't know! It's never happened to me before, but... why _not_? I don't want to find out next week!'

Zero gave up trying to hold back his laughter and simply let it ring out in the fuming noble's face, reaching out a hand to support himself against a nearby tree.

'Kiryuu! I'm warning you! Stop laughing!'

'My bad...' chuckled Zero, even though there was no real trace of apology in his amused tone. Once he had _finally _stopped laughing, he straightened up, turning to face the noble.

'Look Aidou, I get that you're worried, but these things are not accurate, you know that right?' He nodded towards the kondō. 'Many people will keep drawing omikuji until they get a good fortune. If you're not satisfied with yours, why don't you go draw another one?'

Aidou's eyes flashed with renewed determination. 'Is that so? I will!'

_Snort._

'_What?_'

'Nothing. I just hope you enjoy joining that queue again.'

Eyes following the direction that Zero indicated, Aidou's eyes widened in shock.

_No way!_

XXX

Kain sighed heavily, staring down at his omikuji. He had really thought that maybe... But perhaps this wasn't the right time, after all...

'Kain? What's wrong?'

The noble started at the sudden voice. He had been so consumed with his internal struggle that he had not sensed the pureblood's approach.

'Ah, Kaname-sama. It's nothing, really.'

Kaname's deep garnet eyes gazed perceptively into his. For a few seconds, Kain met his eyes unflinchingly, forcing himself not to shift uncomfortably. Then he sighed, giving up. Kaname seemed to have an uncanny ability of forcing the truth out of people, with just his knowing gaze and disconcerting silences.

'I've been thinking about asking Ruka to...' he lowered his voice so that only Kaname could hear. 'To... marry me.'

There, he'd finally said it. After having kept it in his heart for so long_. _The irony that he was confiding this to the vampire that Ruka had loved for years was not lost on him. He smiled wryly, absentmindedly fingering the paper in his hand. _Well, it's not really like Kaname-sama will concern himself with such trivial issues. He probably has much bigger business and political concerns than one of his followers' ineptness at proposing._

The pureblood blinked in surprise. He supposed he should have seen that coming, given how attached the two of them were getting to each other.

'So why haven't you?' enquired the pureblood quietly.

The blunt question surprised Kain. He had presumed Kaname would simply nod and leave. He hadn't imagined that Kaname would want to hear about his problems, but the expression in the pureblood's serious eyes was inarguably sincere.

'I... I'm not confident of her acceptance,' he admitted truthfully.

Kaname pondered over this silently for a few moments. 'Do you doubt her feelings for you?'

Kain's eyes widened fractionally. 'No, of course not!'

'So then, what is the reason for your hesitation?' probed the pureblood.

Kain did not answer, averting his gaze.

_Because I'm a coward who's terrified of being rejected by the woman I have loved all my life. I'm just a fool._

Kaname seemed to sense his inability to reply the question and did not pursue the issue. His gaze dropped to the omikuji in the noble's hand, seeking out the section which would've caused him to be so troubled.

_Marriage proposal: Now is not a good time. Be patient._

_Ah. No wonder he's feeling unsettled._

'Kain,' murmured Kaname, drawing the other vampire's eyes to him again. 'You know, there are two ways that omikuji can give a person direction. The first way is where he takes the words he sees literally. The second way omikuji works is by helping one to realise what exactly it is that his heart desires, based on his responses to the fortune he drew.'

He paused for a second, watching Kain process what he had said. 'The best things in life are gotten by leaving ourselves exposed and taking a giant leap of faith. It might be unbelievably frightening... but what you get at the end – _that_ could be something so precious and valuable that it's worth it all.'

Kaname turned, giving the noble one last glance before he walked away. 'Think carefully about what you should do, Kain. But don't hesitate too long, or you may end up regretting it.'

Kain stared after the pureblood, a myriad of emotions swelling up within him.

_Thank you, Kaname-sama._

XXX

_Missing Thing: Look in low places._

'Ah,' exclaimed Shiki, his fist striking the palm of his open hand in an 'I got it!' gesture.

Takuma looked at him curiously. 'What is it, Shiki?'

The red-head grinned up at him, eyes twinkling in delight. 'I finally remember where I left that secret stash of Pocky! It was under the couch this whole time!'

Takuma shook his head lightly, a fond smile on his face. _Trust Shiki to need an omikuji to help him remember where he kept his snacks._

The blonde glanced up from his own slip of paper, satisfied with the "_Business: Work hard and it will be successful" _on it. His eyes were immediately drawn to Kaname, who was standing a few steps away. He was staring down at his omikuji, an inscrutable expression on his face.

Both curious and worried, Takuma went over to him.

'Kaname? Is something the matter?'

Kaname's eyes flickered over to him distractedly. 'Takuma. No, there's nothing's wrong.'

'You can tell me, you know, Kaname.'

The pureblood exhaled softly, before mutely pointing to a line on his omikuji.

_Marriage proposal: Will go well. Do not be afraid._

Takuma's eyes widened in understanding. 'Ah. You were thinking of doing that?'

Kaname ran a hand through his locks, a small crease between his eyebrows. 'No, to be honest, the thought had never crossed my mind. But Kain was talking to me about it, and it just got me thinking...'

Without quite meaning to, his eyes sought out the figure of his lover. Zero was standing with Aidou, laughing about something. No doubt at the blonde himself, judging by how red the noble's cheeks were turning.

Takuma chuckled softly as Aidou yelled something at the hunter, flushing wildly. Then he turned back to the pureblood. 'But why would you suddenly be thinking of marriage?'

Kaname's eyes softened as he watch Zero's features softening and relaxing as he continued laughing.

'It's just that... marriage is the ultimate form of commitment between two parties, isn't it?'

The blonde stared at the pureblood, understanding dawning in his eyes. 'You want something concrete tying you two together, is that it?'

The pureblood hesitated, then nodded slowly. 'I suppose that's it, yes. Something to let the world know that he is mine, and I am his.' But then his brows furrowed. 'But that's unreasonable, of course. Two males can't get married.'

He gazed wistfully at his lover, the thumb of his left hand lightly running over the smooth ring on his ring finger. The two of them were already wearing matching rings, a beloved Christmas present from Zero. He loved the couple rings that Zero had chosen, _of course_, but if only they were real _wedding_ rings...

The pureblood shook his head ruefully. What _exactly _was he thinking about? It was enough, being together like this. Why was he hoping for something more? He knew Zero loved him dearly, and that feeling was mutual. They had their blood bond, their rings, their love – these were all much more precious than what any other marriage could presume to have.

'You could always have him entered into your family registry,' suggested Takuma.

Kaname froze for a moment, turning that thought over in his mind. This wasn't the first time he'd toyed with the idea. It had occurred to him more than once over the years he'd spent together with Zero, but always briefly and never resulting in any decisive action taken. He had always dismissed it, simply because he believed he was content enough just having Zero by his side.

But was he really? Perhaps it was because of his conversation with Kain earlier, but it now seemed like he craved something more. More permanence. More connection. He _wanted _it, he realised with a start. He wanted to see Zero name under his family registry. To have that tie to his lover. To tie them together in any way possible, so that they would just meld together into one complete being.

Now the question was, would _Zero _want it as well?

'Don't worry, Kaname. He will,' said Takuma quietly, as if reading his mind.

Kaname glanced back at his silver-haired lover again, his heart suddenly running a mile a minute. _Honestly. _Only Zero could cause his cool, unruffled mask to crack into pieces, exposing his uncertainties and insecurities. How many times he had handed the hunter his heart on a tray, leaving himself open to utter rejection and destruction? How many times had he jolted awake in panic, simply because he could not feel Zero next to him? Zero made him so vulnerable, sending him on an emotional rollercoaster with his smiles and frowns. It could be _petrifying_, being so attached and dependent on another person. It was a variable you couldn't control or predict. A variable that could light up your world with just one affectionate touch, yet could just as easily destroy it with harsh, biting words.

And yet, Kaname had never once regretted their relationship. Zero had never once rejected him, or destroyed him, just because he _could. _And Kaname knew he never would.

What was it he'd told Kain earlier? _The best things in life are gotten by leaving ourselves exposed and taking a giant leap of faith. It might be unbelievably frightening... but what you get at the end – that could be something so precious and valuable that it's worth it all._

That's right. It was worth it all in the end.

_Zero _was worth it all.

Nodding his thanks at his friend, Kaname slipped his omikuji into his pocket, striding towards his lover purposefully.

_Zero... _

_Marry me._

* * *

><p><strong>That's the end! Of this chapter, at least. He's not <em>actually<em> going to ask him to marry him, of course. What he is actually asking is whether Zero would be willing to tie himself to him with the same level of commitment that a marriage would bring. Something like that. Hence those last words. **

**I HOPE YOU ENJOYED THAT. I think Aidou was being pretty silly in this chapter, but I couldn't resist more scenes with a blushing Aidou XD **

**Please review to tell me what you thought about this! Thank you all so much for reading! :)))) I hope to wrap up this story by the next chapter...hopefully.**

**Oh by the way, omikuji actually consist of many different sections on each slip, like **_**Missing Thing, Marriage Proposal, Sickness, Business**_**, etcetc. But if I did that for everyone, this story would **_**never**_** end. So I just picked out the relevant sections according to how I wanted the story to go. Just FYI in case you were wondering what omikuji were really like. The couple rings are from my Christmas story 'I'll Be Home For Christmas', so go check that out if you haven't yet:)**

**P.S. Serious question here: Is the VK fandom kinda dead? I don't see many new stories lately. I joined the fandom pretty late, so I have no idea... hahaha.**

**Replies to reviewers:**

**ben4kevin: **Those are my favourite portrayals of Kaname and Zero too! I feel like those are how the two of them should be, based on what I've seen from the manga, as well as Blackened Wing's fics :) You're welcome! Thank you for the review and hope you like this chapter too!

**Abyss Baskerville: **BlackAbyss! (can't get used to your new acc name hahaha) So happy to see you here! :) I hope things are working out well in your life recently! :) Thank you for stopping by and for the review! :)

**Acrux: **Thank you! I'm so glad to hear you say that yay! :)) Hope you enjoyed this chapter as well. Thank you so much for the lovely review!

**kanamexzero fan: **You're welcome! Thank you so much for the review! I hope you like this chapter :D


	4. Will you marry me?

**Author's Note:** Hello! Guess I couldn't wrap things up in one chapter after all. Sighhhh. Hope you guys enjoy this chapter! I've been wondering if I should change the tag on this fic to Humour instead... It's just more crack after crack XD

**Disclaimer: **Characters belong to **Matsuri Hino.**

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><p>'Weren't you going to go draw a new fortune? Why are you still here, then?' asked Zero innocently.<p>

Aidou scowled. 'Don't be obtuse. The queue is crazily long. I have better things to do than waiting in line just to get a piece of paper.'

The hunter snorted in derision. 'You didn't seem to think that it was just "a piece of paper" earlier.'

'Shut up,' snapped the noble, folding his arms across his chest. 'That was just... a moment of weakness. A very _short_ moment.'

'Sure... if you say so,' remarked Zero in amusement. 'Just make sure you prepare yourself next week.'

'Don't curse me, you stupid– oh, Kaname-sama!'

Zero raised an eyebrow at Aidou. 'Did you just call your beloved Kaname-sama stupid?'

'Indeed,' came a familiar, deep voice from behind Zero. '_Did_ you, Aidou?'

The hunter angled his head towards the pureblood, shooting him a surreptitious smile. Kaname returned the smile conspiratorially, before his eyes returned to the blonde, gaze politely enquiring.

'Aidou?'

The noble jumped, looking much like a deer caught in the headlights. 'O-of course _not_, Kaname-sama! I didn't mean _you, _I meant... I meant...'

'My lover?' suggested the pureblood mildly.

Aidou gulped, frantic cerulean eyes darting everywhere but at them, searching desperately for a way out of this

_Ah...! _His eyes lit up.

'Oh, you know what, I think I'll go draw that new fortune after all.'

Without a backward glance, he turned tail and hurried away to the end of the long, meandering queue.

_Damn it! How did I get myself into this?_

Zero watched him go, chuckling lightly. 'You do know you're going to give him nightmares, don't you?

Kaname slid one arm around him and squeezed his shoulder. 'Wasn't that the whole point?'

The hunter shook his head at his mischievous tone. 'Poor Aidou... That queue's going to take him another hour, _at least_.'

The pureblood smiled. 'I'll go get him after about fifteen minutes. Long enough for him to learn his lesson, do you think?'

'Mmm, better make it half an hour, just to be safe,' grinned Zero, amethyst eyes glinting evilly.

'Good idea,' agreed Kaname. He lowered his head, placing his lips next to his lover's ear. 'Zero, let's go somewhere more private, shall we?'

The hunter jumped at the sudden warm breath tickling his skin. 'Uh, sure. Why?'

'You'll find out in a while,' promised the pureblood mysteriously as he began to lead him away.

XXX

'I suppose this is as private as we're going to get,' remarked the pureblood, eyeing their surroundings critically.

They had wandered into the small forest a short distance away from the shrine. It wasn't exactly _away_ from prying eyes, seeing as how anyone could walk by anytime, but the trees and shrubbery _did_ at least provide _some _cover.

A sudden pang of worry struck Kaname. Perhaps this wasn't the right time and place. Wouldn't it better for him to do this someplace more romantic, like where they'd had their first date, or in their home, at the very least? Was he being too rash? It didn't have to be right _now,_ after all...

'Kaname? What's wrong?'

Zero was more than a little mystified by how strange and secretive the pureblood was acting. First leading him here, now that apprehensive look on his face. He had almost thought Kaname had brought him here with the intention of making a move on him, but that was apparently not the case.

As the pureblood continued to remain silent, deep in thought, uneasiness gradually began to build up. Had Kaname brought him here to break some bad news to him? Did he need to go overseas for some time? Had something troubling happened?

...Or was he going to ask for a brea– _No_.

No, that couldn't be it.

_Right?_

'Kaname, just tell me already,' urged Zero, trying to sound impatient, but not quite managing to disguise the dread in his voice.

The pureblood's attention snapped to him instantly, eyes widening in surprise. Zero was tense, looking at him warily as if steeling himself to receive horrible news. _Wait, did Zero think-?_

'No, Zero, don't worry. It's not anything bad,' he said quickly.

He reached for Zero's hands, clasping them gently in his.

Relief crashed over the hunter, the chains constricting his heart finally loosening. 'Don't scare me like that, Kaname,' he whispered, dropping his head on his lover's shoulder. His heart was still pounding furiously, racing so fast he thought he could almost imagine it beating right out of his chest.

'I'm sorry,' murmured Kaname regretfully. To think that he had made Zero think such unpleasant thoughts just because of his indecision. He was a fool. Well, he wouldn't make that same mistake twice.

Zero's brows furrowed as he felt Kaname pull their couple ring off his finger in one smooth motion.

'Kaname? What...?'

The next second, the pureblood had dropped to one knee on the grass in front of him.

Zero's heart skipped a beat, face creasing in concern. Had Kaname fallen? Could it be that he had been unwell and Zero hadn't noticed _all evening_? Cursing himself mentally, the hunter pulled his hands free, starting to bend towards his lover.

The pureblood immediately angled his head up, shooting him a sheepish smile. 'Stay there for a bit, Zero. I've got something to ask you.'

_He clearly has full control of his faculties, _thought Zero in confusion._ So why...?_

'What are you doing, Kaname?' hissed the hunter, glancing around them uncertainly, as if this were all just some practical joke and Aidou would jump out and yell 'BOOYAH' anytime now. 'Get up!'

'Not yet, Zero. Just hear me out first.' He reached out to reclaim Zero's left hand.

Zero blinked at his serious tone, staring down at him in incomprehension. What exactly was he _doing_?

'Kaname–'

He stopped short as a sudden thought hit him. Amethyst eyes widened, lips parting in shock as it all clicked into place. _Of course. How had he not realised it earlier?_ The way Kaname was kneeling before him on one knee, holding him in one hand, a ring in the other...

'You can't be... you're not... _proposing_... are you?'

The pureblood's laughter rang out in the silence of the forest. 'Not quite, Zero.'

The hunter's face scrunched up in confusion. For what purpose did one get down on one knee, other than to propose marriage?

...Being knighted?

'Uh, then what–?'

Kaname squeezed his hand, motioning for him to let him speak. 'Just listen, okay? Let me say this before I lose my nerve.' He shifted on his knee, tugging at and adjusting his kimono until it was no longer restraining him quite so painfully.

His expression was wry as he turned back up to the hunter. 'This position is much more embarrassing and uncomfortable for me than for you, you know.'

'Right...' muttered Zero. He felt incredibly uncomfortable with Kaname kneeling at his feet like this, holding his hand so delicately and reverently. Images of subjects paying respect to their king flashed across his mind, and he baulked, sorely tempted to pull away. But the pureblood seemed to have something important he needed to get off his chest, and Zero was determined to fulfil his wishes, no matter how mortified he felt. And so he planted his feet firmly in the grass, meeting his kneeling lover's gaze resolutely.

'Zero,' said Kaname, his voice clear and strong as he gazed up at his lover tenderly. 'We've been together for years now. I've never been as happy as when I'm with you. You complete me, in ways I never even realised I needed before.'

Zero swallowed, trying to will away the growing blush on his cheeks at those sincere words and that heartfelt expression. No matter what Kaname had said earlier, this sure _seemed_ a lot like a marriage proposal, didn't it?

The pureblood was not finished. 'Every day I spend with you is pure bliss. I can't even imagine my life without you anymore. I need you, and I love you. Forever and always.'

Without warning, tears pricked at the corners of the hunter's eyes, and he blinked them away furiously. He couldn't believe he was tearing up just from a few words. He wasn't going to cry, dammit! But Kaname just kept gazing at him with such a warm and loving expression in his eyes, meaning every word he said, and it was pretty much impossible for him _not_ to have an emotional response.

'Kaname... I love you, too,' Zero whispered in an unsteady voice.

'I know, Zero,' smiled the pureblood, eyes swimming with emotion. If it weren't for the soft, tender way he'd said it, Zero would probably have chided him for being pretentious. As it was, however, it just made the lump in his throat swell larger.

'Kiryuu Zero, will you–'

Kaname broke off, faltering slightly. He shook his head in frustration at himself. Why was this so hard to say?

'Sorry,' he murmured apologetically to his lover. 'Let me try again.'

He took a deep breath, eyes fluttering shut for a moment. _Calm down, Kuran Kaname... You've bared your heart and soul to this hunter so many times now. Why are you still so afraid?_

Zero watched him silently, not even daring to breathe. He may not know what Kaname had planned, but he could recognise that this was the pivotal moment, the crux that Kaname had been building up to this entire time. The air was practically charged with anticipation, and Zero's heartbeat sped up again.

Then burgundy eyes opened and rested on him resolutely.

'Kiryuu Zero, will you come into my family registry?'

Zero's eyes widened in shock and his breath escaped him in a ragged breath. 'W-what...?'

The pureblood smiled at him ruefully. 'It's not quite the same as marriage, but I really want you to be a part of my family, Zero. You're already my heart and soul – my everything. I want you to be my family too.'

Zero's mind had gone blank, his heart speeding like a bullet train. He had _never_ expected Kaname to ask that. Being a part of his family registry...

Kaname glanced at his silent lover worriedly. Was he selfishly expecting Zero to accept such a sudden request? He didn't want to push him into anything unless he wanted to.

'Zero, I realise this has probably come as quite a shock. It's okay if you take some time to think about it.' Then he swallowed. Hard. 'Or if you say no.'

_If it's more than what you're willing to give, I will understand, Zero. I will accept your decision, you know that._

Those last words remained unspoken, but Zero could see them reflected in those anxious garnet eyes. _Honestly, this pureblood... _

'Kaname... I will.'

Kaname froze. 'What?'

The hunter dropped to his knees in front of his lover, his free hand reaching up to lightly stroke the dazed pureblood's cool cheek.

'I will come into your family registry,' he announced, smiling. A tear had deviously slipped out from the corner of his eye, but he scarcely noticed, so consumed by the twin emotions of love and gratitude swirling around within him.

Kaname's eyes shone with shock and disbelief. And yet, the flame of hope burnt in them just as brightly. 'Are you – are you sure?'

Zero let out a short chuckle, which turned into a strangled sob as his voice cracked slightly.

'Idiot,' was all he managed, before he lunged towards Kaname, arms winding tightly around him.

_Zero... said yes! He said yes!_

It was like Kaname's mind was running slower than usual, only having just caught up to the situation. _Zero had accepted! _Unable to hold back a choked cry of relief, he flung his arms around his lover, pressing him close.

Zero nuzzled his face in his lover's neck, his now freely-flowing tears soaking into the pureblood's expensive kimono.

He gave another short burst of laughter, pulling away to wipe his tears on the back of his hands. 'I'm sorry, Kaname, I think I just ruined your kimono...'

'I think your tears give it a certain touch, don't you?' grinned the pureblood, his own cheeks stained with tears. He settled back to rest on his ankles, ignoring the uncomfortable way his kimono pulled on and restricted his motions.

He reached out to capture Zero's left hand in his. 'Come here, you. Why does this keep escaping me?'

Zero laughed, making a show of pretending to pull his hand away. 'Maybe it doesn't like your touch?'

Kaname smiled deviously, bringing it to his mouth. His tongue shot out, giving it a swift lick across the palm.

Zero shuddered, just barely biting back a gasp.

'Kaname...!'

'On the contrary, it seems to like my touch _very much_,' murmured the pureblood silkily. He grinned at his scowling lover, before positioning the ring he had stolen from his lover earlier at his ring finger.

Then he raised his head, garnet eyes serious as they sought out Zero's. 'You're really sure about this?'

The hunter rolled his eyes, the fond smile on his face belying the action. '_Yes_, Kaname. Do it.'

Eyes shining with happiness and adoration, Kaname slowly slid the ring back to where it belonged.

'You're my family now, Zero,' he whispered, before pulling him down into a heated kiss.

XXX

'Family doesn't do that,' whispered Rima, her expression stoic as she continued observing the pair from behind the bushes.

'I'm not so sure I want to watch Kaname-sama and Kiryuu making out,' remarked Ruka dryly. 'Can we leave now?'

Takuma turned away from the embracing lovers, smiling at her merrily. 'Sure. I already got the whole thing down on video, anyway.'

Shiki stared at his lover incredulously. 'Takuma... Not only did you get us to spy on their private moment, but you were also _videotaping_ them?'

The noble's smile turned sheepish as he lowered his cell phone. 'Well, I think Kaname-sama would appreciate having such a beautiful moment preserved forever.'

'Too bad Zero wouldn't agree,' retorted Kain. 'If he managed to get hold of your phone, you can pretty much say goodbye to it.'

'Eh...' Takuma's smile faltered for a second, before he quickly shook off the disturbing thoughts of what Zero would do to his helpless phone. 'As long as he doesn't find out, it'll be fine.'

'I'm pretty sure he will,' pointed out Rima.

'And why's that, Rima?' queried Takuma, glancing towards her.

'Because they've heard us and are heading over here right now.'

Takuma swallowed nervously, furtively trying to slide his phone into the folds of his kimono.

'It's too late for that, Ichijou,' came a familiar, no-nonsense voice.

_Oh, snap. And I just bought this phone, too..._

XXX

'Aidou-san? Is that you?'

The blonde's head whipped up, the misery that had previously been crushing down on him swiftly dissipating at that soft, dulcet voice.

'Sakura?'

The petite ginger in front of him beamed. 'I never thought I would see you here, Aidou-san! What a coincidence!'

'It is!' exclaimed Aidou, his heart rate speeding up. God was he glad to see her here. Finally, someone who wouldn't spend the whole time teasing or embarrassing him.

'Oh, are you queuing to get an omikuji?' enquired Sakura, her eyes travelling down the line.

'Oh, yeah, that's right,' agreed Aidou, before gesturing towards her. 'Have you gotten yours, Sakura?'

She laughed softly, emerald eyes twinkling with amusement. 'No, actually, I don't really believe in them.'

Aidou swallowed, suddenly feeling foolish. 'I-is that so?'

'Uh huh,' she nodded. Her gaze turned curious. 'I didn't think Aidou-san was the kind who believed in things like this.'

Heat suffused the blonde's cheeks. 'I d-don't! It's just for the fun for it. New Year's and all, after all.'

'Oh, right,' nodded Sakura seriously, though her eyes twinkled humorously.

Aidou's flush intensified. She had clearly seen right through his lie. It irked him a little that she was able to see through him so easily, but that was just yet another thing that had drawn him to her. She wasn't one of those shallow Academy girls who fell so easily for his good-guy act.

'Sakura-chan! It's time to leave!'

'Ah,' said the female vampire, smiling brightly at Aidou. 'That's my mother. I have to go now, Aidou-san.'

Aidou's face fell. _Can't you stay a little longer?_

_Idiot. As though you could say that without looking like the most desperate, lonely guy ever_, he thought wryly.

'I understand,' was what he replied instead. 'Well, I really enjoyed talking to you, Sakura.'

'Me too,' she smiled. Before she left, she gave him a little wink. 'See you next week, Aidou-san. For our _date_.'

Aidou blinked in surprise, lips starting to form a reply. But she was already gone. Frustrated, he ran one hand through his blond locks, messing up the hairstyle he'd spent so long trying to perfect earlier. _Damn it. What is it about her that throws me so off-kilter like this?_

'Well, well. So that's the poor girl who has to suffer through your company next week,' came a lazy drawl from behind him.

The noble spun around. 'Kain!? How long have you been here!?'

'For some time already, actually,' chimed in Ruka, eyeing him in amusement. 'You were just too busy making googly eyes at that lovely lady to notice.'

'G-googly...! I was _not!'_

'We all saw it,' stated Shiki matter-of-factly.

The noble growled at him, glaring fiercely. 'I can't believe you guys were _eavesdropping_ on us!'

'It's a public place, Aidou,' pointed out Rima. 'If you wanted privacy, you should've gone someplace else... like the forest nearby.'

Too caught up in his annoyance at how all his so-called "friends" were ganging up on him (_again!)_, Aidou missed the subtle smile that Kaname shot Zero.

'Argh!' groaned Aidou, rolling his eyes. 'Forget this. I _hate_ you guys. Let's just get out of here already.'

He turned to leave.

'Wait, Aidou,' called Zero, stopping him in his tracks. 'You forgot something.'

'What is it?' asked the noble, turning back to look at him suspiciously.

The hunter smirked evilly. 'To get another omikuji. What if you get sick next week?'

Everyone immediately cracked up.

'Oh, _shut up_,' muttered Aidou, stalking away without another backward glance.

_...I definitely need new friends._

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><p><strong>That's it for this chapter~ Thanks so much for reading! Please leave me a review :)<strong>

**Btw, does anyone understand how the family registry thing in Japan works? Will Zero appear as Kuran Zero on there, or will he be able to keep his own name? Sorry, haha. I don't really know anything about this. Any help will be much appreciated :)**

**Hopefully I _really_ will be able to wrap this up by the next chapter. And I really need to stop bullying Aidou so much... entertaining as it is XDD**

**Replies to reviewers:**

**ben4kevin:** Oh, that's true. It's a bit of a pity though, that fanfics are so affected by the status of their manga and anime. Fanfics can allow the story to continue on and on forever, even if the original is over, so they should never end, imo :) Thank you for the information! I haven't tried reading those fandoms before, but maybe I'll give them a chance :) I hope so too! That people get inspired to write more VK fics :) Would love to read more interesting plotlines. Thank you so much for your review and hope you enjoyed this chapter! :)

**kanamexzero fan: **HAHAH I'm so happy you liked the previous chapter! :) And yeah, he _is_ really lonely, I think. Being around couples so much... That's why I gave him Sakura-chan :) And let you guys meet her in this chap! :) Thank you for your review!:)

**shia naru: **I'm so glad you like this story! And yes, what you said is so true. Been waiting for months for all the good fics to be updated XD But I guess they're all busy with RL too.. Still, I wish there were more stories I could get hooked on :) Especially KaZe YES :D I will definitely finish this one soon, but if you mean Switched... that fic's taking me a really long time XDD I'll try my best though, I promise :) Thank you so much for your review! Hope you liked this chapter too:)

**Abyss Baskerville: **I missed talking to you too! :) Oh man, that sounds really horrible. She sounds really mean... But I hope you won't let her or her friends affect you too much! There is absolutely nothing wrong with being bi, and _no one _has the right to make fun of you for that. Don't be ashamed or worried about it! Perhaps you could find some good, understanding friends among the other people she bullies. Would telling a teacher help? I hope you can remain strong even when faced with such unreasonable people. They are not worth hurting yourself over, so please don't let her push you to such an extreme. You can PM me anytime if you ever need someone to talk to! :) I'm really, really happy my stories help you, even for a second. Stay strong BlackAbyss! And I hope you enjoy this chapter as well :)

**Acrux: **Hehehe I'm so happy Aidou's silliness made you smile! :) I originally had no plan to include any of that marriage stuff, but it all just suddenly appeared, and I think it fits nicely :) I don't think I did the significance and meaning of marriage enough justice with my amateur writing, but I'm glad you liked it anyway! :) Me too, and I hope there will be more stories for this fandom! Thank you so much for your sweet comments, and I hope you liked this chapter too :) I think your English is really good, too, btw, so don't worry :)


	5. Zutto Aishiteru

**Author's Note:** THIS IS SO LATE! I'd wanted this New Year's fic to be done by, well, New Year's! I'm so sorry I only got around to updating it _now_, when Feb is almost over T.T Was working on it a little everyday, then kind of left it hanging for a couple weeks... But I finally got around to tweaking it so that it's ready! So here you guys go! Hope you all enjoy this monster chapter!

**Disclaimer:** Credits to Matsuri Hino.

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><p>The small grey stone was old and weathered, the letterings on it somewhat dulled and faded away. Despite that, it was the cleanest of the others, hardly a speck of dust having settled on it. Tiny wild flowers grew all around it, contently caressing the sides of the stone, seemingly serving as company for the one who lay there.<p>

'Hey, Yuuki,' greeted Zero softly as he knelt, his fingers lightly trailing over the smooth granite surface. 'It's New Year's again.'

A tender expression in his eyes, Kaname got to his knees before the tombstone as well, gently setting the bouquet of sunflowers in his hand down. 'We brought you some of your favourite flowers, Yuuki.'

Zero heaved an exaggerated sigh, not taking his eyes off the stone marker. 'I told him that two dozen was way too much... but he wouldn't listen.' He shook his head, aiming a rueful smile at the etched name. 'Well, you know how stubborn he is.'

The pureblood smiled. 'Hey, now. Don't try to badmouth me in front of her, Zero. I don't want her thinking anything less of me.'

His lover snorted. 'Pfft. As if she doesn't already know how pig-headed you are.'

Kaname's hands gently pressed against the sides of Yuuki's tombstone, as if he were trying to cover her "ears". 'Sshh. Don't listen to him, Yuuki. He's just too shy to admit how perfect a lover I am.'

Zero choked, eyes widening in incredulity at Kaname's words. 'He wishes!'

The pureblood ignored him, leaning closer to the stone. He lowered his voice, eyes twinkling mischievously as if he were about to share an intriguing secret.

'Zero agreed to marry me earlier, you know.'

'Hey!' protested Zero, his cheeks tinged slightly red. 'That wasn't -!'

'He loves me so much, despite how "pig-headed" I am,' continued Kaname, grinning widely as he watched his lover scowling.

'Oh yeah? Well, he was the one who asked me to be a part of his family. What does that say about him?' retaliated the hunter.

Kaname chuckled lightly, one hand reaching out for Zero's. 'It shows how precious he is to me. Even if that makes me a fool, I'll gladly accept it.'

Zero blinked. Dammit, Kaname was doing it again, saying such things that left him unsure of how to reply. He just couldn't let Zero win, could he?

He returned his lover's squeeze of the hand, voice serious as he softly replied.

'...Yeah... me too.'

The couple remained like that for a while, each holding on to Yuuki's tombstone with one hand, and his lover's hand with the other. And in that moment, the three of them were connected again – in being, in heart, in spirit.

The fate which had started them off as enemies, as pureblood and ex-human, had turned a full 180, just for things to end up this way. All because of Yuuki, the girl that both of them had dearly loved. She had brought the two of them together, helping them find each other, the ever-shining beacon in the storm.

The months after her passing had been terrible for everyone, but particularly for the both of them. It was only after many, _many_ more trials and tribulations that they had managed to resolve their issues and come together, like what she would have wanted. She was probably the one who had helped them put aside their differences, smiling on and guiding them from the heavens.

As if by some unspoken decision, both vampires leant over to place a soft kiss on her tombstone. As they did so, their eyes met, and they smiled. Both could recognise what the other was thinking, knowing it was the same thing he himself was thinking.

That they had Yuuki to thank for this blissful life with each other.

'Kaname-kun, Zero-kun!'

The two vampires turned.

Cross Kaien was making his way towards them, a bouquet cradled in his arms. A few paces behind him, with his arms crossed and ever-present cigarette hanging between his lips, followed Yagari.

'Master, Cross!' greeted Zero, releasing Kaname's hand and getting to his feet.

'It's good to see you again, Zero!' exclaimed his adopted father, rushing toward with his arms open.

Having already anticipated that, the hunter deftly side-stepped, before turning to face his master.

'Happy New Year, Sensei.'

The older hunter took a long draw on his cigarette, before he nodded and ruffled his student's hair. 'Yeah, yeah, you too, kiddo.'

Zero scowled, ducking his head and stepping backwards out of his reach. Despite the years that had passed, Yagari insisted on treating him like a kid. It embarrassed the hell out of him, but deep in his heart, it made him feel just a little happy.

Just a little.

'Cross-san, it's good to see you again,' said Kaname warmly. He, too, nimbly avoided the hug the aimed at him.

He nodded at Yagari. 'You too, Yagari-san.'

'I haven't seen the both of you in so long, is one hug so unbearable!?' wailed Cross, pouting at the two vampires.

Kaname chuckled lightly, while Zero rolled his eyes. 'Ugh, you're being too noisy. Stop disturbing Yuuki.'

It was only then that his eyes finally narrowed in on the flowers Cross was holding. He groaned, looking skyward in exasperation as he gestured towards it.

'You too? Are the both of you trying to attract a whole hive of bees or something?'

'Eh, what do you-?' Cross looked down at Yuuki's grave, for the first time noticing the bouquet already present there.

He turned towards Kaname, eyes glistening. The pureblood took a step back warily.

'Kaname-kun! Great minds think alike, don't they?'

'They do, indeed,' muttered Kaname obligingly. As the Headmaster laid down the flowers and started approaching him, eyes sparkling with intent, the pureblood heaved a sigh, knowing what was coming. He raised a foot, preparing to evade the zealous hug yet again.

However, an unexpected shove against his back threw him off his balance, resulting in him stumbling forward – right into the welcome arms of one Cross Kaien.

The former hunter beamed as he encased the younger man in a tight bear hug, satisfied that he could finally capture at least one of his two favourite vampires.

After the shock of keeling forward, Kaname's first instinct at suddenly being restrained so forcefully by unfamiliar arms was to shove the intruder away. He almost did, but only just managed to restrain himself at the last second. Good thing too, since his vampiric instincts would have resulted in him hurting the Headmaster unnecessarily.

Well, more than he deserved, at least.

Kaname craned his neck around, eyes seeking out the silver-headed figure he knew was the culprit behind this. He shot him a disapproving look. _That was _not_ funny, Zero._

The smirk on the hunter's face grew. _Not to you, maybe..._

The pureblood shook his head wryly at his lover, the corners of his lips twisting upwards despite his situation. Really... Zero was just asking for it, wasn't he? Kaname was going to have to 'punish' him for that later... preferably in bed.

The hug was dragging on a little longer than was necessary, and he twitched, itching to pull away from the discomfortingly close contact. However, with great resignation and willpower, he forced himself to remain motionless. He was well aware that any attempts to politely extract himself from it would only make Cross more determined that it last longer.

After all, it had happened enough on previous occasions.

'Kaien, are you planning to stay like that all day? 'Cause if that's so, I'm gonna head back first,' drawled Yagari, rolling his eyes in exasperation as he turned their back on them, ostensibly to take his leave.

At that, Cross released Kaname instantly, quickly stepping forward to grab the hunter's arm. 'Wha – hey, hold on now! I'm just showing my favourite boys some affection, no need to get so impatient!'

Though his back was facing all of them, they could almost hear Yagari's eyes rolling. His footsteps didn't falter in the slightest, and Cross was dragged along behind him, until he dug in his heels, forcing the hunter to come to a stop.

'Wait, wait! Just give me a while to speak with Yuuki, 'kay?'

The hunter didn't say anything, but made no move to leave.

Long used to the grumpy male's reticent ways, Cross recognised the concession for what it was. He quickly made his way over to the tombstone, kneeling before it and touching it, much like what Kaname and Zero had been doing earlier.

His murmurs to Yuuki were soft, his tone extra gentle. Looking at him in that instant, Zero _almost_ couldn't tell that this was the same man who had just been badgering them about a hug. It was only when he was all tender and serious like this did the ex-human remember that this had been the man who had tried his best to raise the two of them all by himself, despite having had no idea how to deal with children. Leaving himself out of the equation, it was clear that his parenting, while not perfect, had not been too far remiss. Yuuki had turned out so well. A wonderful sweet girl, the best daughter and sister that anyone could ever want.

A small wave of gratitude washed over Zero as he watched Cross place an adoring kiss on Yuuki's headstone, before rising to his feet. He owed this man so much, even if he would never admit it. He had him to thank for the happiness that he had managed to find, after all the horrors that had plagued his childhood. He had given him the chance to meet and love Yuuki, and in doing so, to find Kaname.

Zero shook his head wryly, clearing away the uncharacteristically sappy thoughts that had risen up, unbidden and unknowingly, to the fore of his mind. Perhaps it was the fact that it was New Year's that had led him to ruminate about the past this way. Or maybe being with Kaname was turning him into a mushy pile of feelings. Whatever it was, it was sending wave after wave of emotion coursing through him, despite his valiant internal struggle.

Cross turned back towards them, smiling softly. 'It was really good to see you again, Kaname-kun, Zero-kun.'

His eyes shone with unshed tears, but his smile and affection towards them was entirely genuine. Talking with Yuuki seemed to have sobered him up from his previously immature persona. It seemed as though he had reverted back to 'normal' mode, at least for the moment.

Zero hesitated for a second, before he stepped up to Cross, an unreadable expression on his face. The older male turned towards him questioningly.

'Zero...?'

The ex-human did not respond.

Instead, much to the surprise of everyone present, even himself, he leaned forward, arms curling gently against his adopted father's back.

The hug lasted only a second, with Zero pulling back almost as soon as it had begun. Nevertheless, none of the four present could ever have missed that gesture. Or forget it, for that matter. Kaname shot Zero a surprised look, but his eyes were filled with quiet understanding, as if he had heard every one of Zero's thoughts. Not that that was so hard to believe...

Yagari, on the other hand, was staring at him as if he had suddenly sprouted a second head. His cigarette had fallen out from between his lips, his mouth hanging open in shock. The old hunter was hardly an easy person to surprise, so the look on his face was simply priceless. Zero's lips quirked upwards, and he was struck by a sudden irrational urge to snap a quick picture to commemorate this rare occasion. However, he knew better than anyone how that would end (what he had done earlier to Takuma's phone was _nothing_ compared to what Yagari would do), so he simply settled for committing the view to memory instead.

As for Cross...

'Oh, Zero-kunnn...!'

_Crap. He's back to 'idiot' mode._

XXX

'Cross-san, Yagari-san, could you please wait a moment? I would like to tell you something.'

The two older males had just been about to turn away, but they paused.

Yagari eyed him exasperatedly.

'What is it _now?_ If you tell me you've suddenly got this urge to hug Kaien, I'm gonna shoot you, kid, you hear?'

Kaname ignored how Cross's slightly bruised face suddenly lit up, blinking up at him hopefully.

As if he would ever say that.

He had not planned on doing this. The thought hadn't even crossed his mind up till a few minutes ago. It was only when Zero had voluntarily hugged Cross that it had hit him, swift and sudden.

That he was adopting Zero into his family – these two men had the right to know, didn't they? Both of them had been Zero's guardians and protectors for so long, both doing their utmost best to ensure his safety and happiness. It was only right that they found out about this from him now, and not by accident years later. It was the least he could do, after all.

In a way, it felt as though he would be asking for Zero's 'hand in marriage'. They had been there for his lover during his childhood years, serving as the only family he had, and now, Kaname was going to bring Zero into his home, taking over the duty of caring and protecting him for the rest of his life.

Zero turned his head sharply, a slightly panicked expression in the amethyst eyes that met Kaname's. The pureblood had made no previous mention of it, but the trace of anxiety and hesitation colouring his voice now told him exactly what it was that Kaname wanted to share with the two older males.

_Can I?_

Zero swallowed as he read the silent question in his lover's eyes. It wasn't that he wanted to hide it from them. They were practically family, so if anyone deserved to know, it was definitely them.

It was just... a little embarrassing.

It wasn't an _actual_ marriage, but it might as well have been, right? He was going to be a part of Kaname's family, just like a woman marrying into her husband's family. It wasn't that taking the 'female' role bugged him – that he didn't care about. But this whole act as just really cheesy, and speaking about it to his adopted father and his master was going to be terribly awkward and mortifying. And he wasn't sure how his sensei would react to this. If the thought of his male student entering the pureblood's family registry disgusted him... It would be hard for Zero.

Not that he would retract his acceptance, of _course_ not. It was just that Yagari's opinion and approval meant a lot to him. He had spent his whole life trying to live up to the older hunter's standards, after all.

_But doesn't Kaname's opinion mean more to you?_

The sudden question that popped up in his mind had his eyes widening in surprise. Of course... of course it did. Kaname was the part of his life that Zero could no longer live without. He was everything to him. The only thing that truly mattered.

_So why are you still hesitating, then?_

Zero exhaled softly. His inner voice was right. It didn't matter what Yagari thought, he decided resolutely. This was his life, his lover. If his sensei did not approve of it, well, Zero would just have to deal with it in his own way. He would not let this stop him from doing whatever it was that Kaname wanted to do.

The hunter gave his worried lover an imperceptible nod.

_Yes, you can._

XXX

'What on earth would possess Sensei to suggest something like _that!?'_ expressed Zero incredulously, both mortified and pissed at the same time. His usually pale cheeks were still lightly dusted with pink, the remnants of the flush that his master's absurd words had caused.

Kaname, on the other hand, was grinning widely, an arm slung triumphantly around his lover's shoulders. 'Wasn't it a good thing that he approved, though? And I think it's a great idea, don't you?'

The hunter shrugged away, glaring hotly at him. 'It is _not._ He was just joking. We are not doing that, you hear me?'

Kaname's face fell in mock disappointment, though amusement lingered in his eyes. 'What a pity... I would have loved to see you walking down the aisle towards me in a beautiful white gown.'

Zero bristled, scowling at his insufferable lover. 'Don't be an idiot! I would sooner shoot myself with my own gun than do _that.'_

The pureblood chuckled lightly, noting that Zero had only vehemently refused the humiliating cross-dressing part of Yagari's suggestion, not the marrying him part. That made him unbelievably happy, somehow. Did that mean that if he had been proposing earlier, Zero would have accepted, as well?

Kaname smiled. It was such a precious thought.

He had to admit though, the thought of Zero in a dress was... _stimulating,_ to say the least. It was something he needed to persuade him to try someday...

A sudden chill ran down Zero's spine and he twitched. He peered suspiciously at the pureblood. 'You'd better not be thinking of anything weird, Kaname.'

Kaname blinked innocently. 'I have no idea what you're talking about.'

Zero narrowed his eyes, unconvinced. But he said nothing more, continuing on towards where their ride home awaited.

The pureblood followed along behind silently, expression thoughtful.

_Maybe if I can get Zero drunk enough..._

XXX

'Man, I'm so full that I think my stomach's going to burst if I take another bite!'

Kain looked up from his jūbako, eyeing Aidou in amusement. 'And yet, you're still stuffing your face with zōni.'

The blonde huffed in indignation, speaking around the mochi rice cake currently in his mouth. 'That's only because there's so much food, Akatsuki! You wouldn't want it to go to waste now, do you? And cause all of Zero's efforts to have been for naught?'

Said hunter rolled his eyes, unimpressed by the noble's poor attempt to justify his gorging. Still, he couldn't deny that watching Aidou wolf down the food made him slightly pleased. He had spent hours preparing all the dishes for the osechi, and it was nice to know that at least it had all paid off.

Next to him, Kaname noticed the small smile on his lover's face. He reached over, squeezing Zero's hand lightly, causing the boy to jerk in surprise.

'Thank you for all the food, Zero. Everything is really delicious, and I truly appreciate and am grateful for all the work you've put into this.'

A warm, grateful glow filled the hunter at those words, but with everyone else at the table watching their exchange so closely, he couldn't do anything more than return the smile. His thumb rubbed lightly over the back of Kaname's hand, before he coughed in embarrassment, pulling his hand away under the guise of reaching for his drink.

Takuma hid a grin at the way Zero's cheeks were turning faintly pink from his lover's sincere compliment. Shiki, in the middle of bringing a piece of kamaboko to his mouth, cocked his head at him quizzically.

_What is it?_

The blonde noble shook his head briefly. _It's nothing, don't worry about it._

It was a lovely spread that Zero had prepared for their first meal of the New Year. The jūbakos were double-layered, each boasting a uique set of mouth-watering, exquisitely-arranged cuisine. The food ranged from konbu to nishiki tamago. Symbolism for a long, healthy life made up a sizeable portion of the meal, with sweet kuromame in one corner, and ebi lightly skewered with soy sauce and sake in another. The datemaki and tai representing austerity and prosperity were generously portioned as well.

Not paying anyone any attention, Ruka elegantly picked up a piece of kazunoko with her chopsticks, sliding it into her mouth with great relish.

At the brief flash of orange, Aidou's sharp eyes honed in on the delicious-looking herring roe.

'Hey, how come you have that and I don't!?' he demanded, glaring suspiciously at the female as if she had stolen his portion.

Ruka gave an exasperated roll of her eyes, popping the second piece into her waiting mouth.

'How would I know? Maybe the baby fishes in the eggs found you so repulsive that they all wriggled themselves out of your jūbako.'

Kain gave a hoot of laughter. What his lover had postulated was far beyond the realm of all things possible, but Aidou's face had turned such an amusing shade of red, his jaw hanging open as he glared at Ruka in consternation.

'You-! What- that's the most ridiculous thing ever!' fumed Aidou, much to the entertainment of the other vampires.

Across the table, a flash of understanding crossed Takuma's eyes. Deliberately casual, he cocked his head to the side, shooting his friend a pleasantly curious glance.

'Hanabusa, do you know what kazunoko on New Year's symbolises?'

The blonde's head whipped around, shooting Takuma a suspicious glance. 'What?'

The corner of Takuma's lips turned up into a small smile. It was times like this that Aidou's lack of knowledge regarding such traditions came in handy.

And brought much amusement, of course.

'It symbolises a wish for children in the new year.'

Contrary to his expectations, the one that reacted most to his words was not, in fact, Aidou, but Ruka. She choked on the roe she was currently eating, flinging down her chopsticks with a clatter as she scrabbled at her throat.

Beside her, a secretive smile on his face, Kain calmly reached over, gently but firmly pounding on her back to help her cough up the offending item.

'What's wrong, Ruka? Did you not agree with what Takuma said?'

The honey blonde's head snapped up, eyes glaring fiercely into his. She recognised the same words she had directed towards him earlier, when their situations had been exactly reversed.

Aidou was still gaping at Takuma. 'What? That's ridiculous! Why can't I get some too?'

Zero sighed in vexation, shaking his head tiredly. 'Look, Aidou, it's no big deal, okay? I just thought I'd keep with traditions, since it's New Year's and all. It just seemed more appropriate for females than males.'

The tiresome noble didn't let up. 'Why can't I hope for some too?' he grumbled tiresomely.

An eyebrow twitched in irritation. 'You're not even in a relationship, Aidou, how do you expect to have kids within the year? At least Ruka's already in a stable relationship...'

The noble flinched, looking as if he'd been slapped. He knew Zero had not intentionally been trying to slight him, but the hunter's words had brought out the insecurities that he usually kept well-hidden.

'Do you think I'm going to be alone forever!?'

Aidou's words were undoubtedly punctuated with stormy rage, but a faint thread of despair and loneliness ran underneath. With great surprise, Zero realised that maybe the noble was not as immune to being a single around so many couples as he seemed to be.

Hesitantly, he reached out a hand, placing it lightly on the blonde's shoulder.

'Aidou... that's not what I was trying to say. You _won't_ be alone forever, so don't worry so much about it, okay?'

Aidou's eyes had widened at the hunter's unexpected gesture, but the words had him shrinking back instantly, heartbeat racing. How could he have been so stupid as to let Kiryuu see his innermost thoughts? He couldn't let the rest know as well! He didn't need, or want, their pity!

'What - what are you saying? Of course I know that! I don't need you to tell me that!'

Following that up with an enraged, incredulous glare, he concentrated back on his food.

Zero gave a small smile. He had expected that Aidou would react that way. The noble would never have acted as though Zero's words brought any form of solace or comfort... even though the repressed pain hidden in those cerulean eyes had lessened ever so slightly.

'Sure, sure, whatever,' returned the hunter, recognising that Aidou didn't want to turn this into a big fuss.

Takuma smiled encouragingly. 'That's right, Hanabusa. Things may go well with your Sakura-chan next week. Who knows, perhaps you'll _really_ have kids by the end of this year.'

Ruka snorted at the absurd idea, rolling her eyes. 'Sure... and maybe pigs will fly.'

Chopsticks slammed violently down onto the table as Aidou jumped to his feet, eyes blazing. 'That's _it_, stupid Ruka! I won't listen to any more of your blabbering!'

'Oh yeah? Whatcha gonna do, huh?'

A snarl echoed around the room. 'I challenge you! Right here, right now! The loser has to be the other's slave for one whole week!'

The female noble smirked. 'I'm going to enjoy having you kiss the ground under my feet for the whole of next week, Hanabusa.'

Kain glanced at his cousin, faintly worried at the prospects of what was to come. 'Come on, 'Busa, don't be so childish, will ya? What are you going to challenge her in, anyway?'

Aidou huffed indignantly. 'Your girlfriend's the childish one, Akatsuki!'

But that was a good question that his cousin had brought up. What could he challenge Ruka to, and know that he was sure to win? Ruka may give one the impression of being air-headed and naive (at least to him), but he knew from experience that she was naturally gifted in many areas, even if she had never tried her hand at them before. He could not risk selecting one of those right now. There was far too much at stake (oh god, why had he come up something so rash!?) and backing out now was simply _not_ an option. It didn't help that there just wasn't very much inspiration in a _dining room_. His eyes roamed the area, searching for something... anything...

_Hold on a minute... __Of course!_

'We're going to see who can finish everything in our jūbako first!'

A muscle in Zero's jaw twitched. A food-eating competition? _Really?_ Of all the crazy ideas Aidou had had over the past few years, this one took the cake. The uncontested winner of 'Aidou's Stupidest and Most Childish Idea Ever'.

Then again, what else did he expect from Aidou, really?

Kain rubbed at his face wearily, equally unimpressed, but no longer capable of being surprised when it came to anything involving his cousin. 'Right. What a terrific idea. Don't forget that you're a guest at Kaname-sama and Zero's house, 'Busa...'

Aidou's eyes widened. Oh crap! He had so been absorbed in fighting with Ruka that he had pretty much forgotten where exactly they were. Forget Kiryuu; how could he have been having such a petty squabble in _Kaname-sama's_ presence!? His behaviour was unacceptable!

He turned towards the pureblood, wearing a stricken expression. 'Kaname-sama, I-!'

'I don't mind. This might be interesting to watch.'

Aidou gawked at the pureblood, jaw hanging open. Kaname had propped his elbows up on the tabletop, chin resting leisurely on the back of his intertwined fingers.

A small smile on his face, he turned to fix his lover with a questioning look. 'Zero? Do you have any objections against it?'

The hunter was probably the only one at the table, save Seiren and Takuma, who wasn't trying - and failing - not to gape at the pureblood's easy acceptance of Aidou's idea. Of all of them, Zero knew best that Kaname wasn't always as serious and strait-laced as he appeared to be. As one who frequently enjoyed making Aidou squirm during difficult situations, Kaname was prone to allow the occasional opportunity to laugh at the noble's expense.

Zero shook his head, mostly in exasperation than in reply. 'As long as you help to clean up later, Kaname...'

The pureblood grinned, placing a hand over his chest, above where his heart lay. 'Scout's honour.'

His lover rolled his eyes, but was unable to hold back a soft chuckle. 'That's the wrong gesture, Kaname. And you were never a scout.'

'Guilty as charged,' replied Kaname, his burgundy eyes light and twinkling in humour.

Zero's expression softened as he gazed at him. He loved when the pureblood was in a good mood, as he clearly was now. He had seemed so stressed earlier, and the hunter was truly glad that the worries plaguing him earlier were gone, if only for a little while.

If watching two of his inner vampires locked in a childish fight could distract Kaname from his troubles...

_Oh, what the hell._

XXX

XX

X

**_One week later..._**

'This is amazingly good, Ruka-san!'

Ruka smiled at the female sitting across her at the table. 'I'm glad you like it, Sakura. Aidou was really worried that it wouldn't be...'

_...Edible,_ thought Kain wryly, chewing silently next to Ruka. Nevertheless, he wisely kept his thoughts to himself. He wasn't looking to trap himself into another situation. Not again.

'...to your taste,' finished the female. Her pleasant demeanour did not falter, but she shot Kain a side-long glance, as if she somehow knew what he was thinking.

He looked back at her, gaze politely enquiring. _Hmm?_

The honey blonde said nothing. _I know you far too well for that, Akatsuki..._

Sakura paused in the midst of sipping her drink, curiously observing their silent exchange for a second. Then she set down her glass, smiling brightly as if she hadn't noticed a thing. 'Well, he had nothing to worry about. The food's wonderful.'

Kain inwardly heaved a sigh of relief when Ruka broke eye contact, turning to thank their guest graciously.

As if she had been the one who prepared it...

Right on cue, Sakura gave a small frown, gaze roaming around the luxurious dining room. 'Speaking of which, where is Aidou-san? He hasn't returned since he left for the toilet ten minutes ago.'

Without missing a beat, Ruka smoothly replied, 'Oh, I believe he's just gone to get us our desserts. He should be returning any moment now.'

As she spoke, she lifted one pale hand, long, slim fingers lightly caressing the diamond stud in her ear. To anyone else watching, it was merely an absent-minded touch. However, as Kain well knew, that action was _anything_ but casual.

_One..._

_Two..._

_Three..._

'Sorry for the wait!'

Sakura looked up with a start as the door to the room was thrown open. Aidou came bustling in, his hair wild and unkempt, his eyes wide and frantic. In his hands was a silver tray, on which sat four sets of parfait.

'Aidou-san! Where have you been for so long? We're almost done with our mains!'

The blonde blinked rapidly, quickly plastering a grin on his face as he strode quickly towards them.

...Was it just her imagination, or was he panting slightly?

'Oh, sorry, Sakura-chan! I've just been making sure the desserts were on their way.'

She frowned, a confused smile on her face. 'That's something to be left to the servants, isn't it? For it to have taken so long...'

Aidou gritted his teeth, trying his utmost best to keep his smile from slipping. It was all stupid Ruka's fault! How could she ruin his date like this! He was supposed to be having a nice, wonderful evening _alone_ with Sakura-chan, not... not like _this_!

He showed nothing of his inner grousing, however, merely shooting Sakura a sheepish look, before proceeding to set the desserts down in front of each of them.

Ruka first, of course.

The honey noble did not even spare him a glance, as if he were no better than one of the hired help. No, scratch that, he had seen her nodding to them on occasion. He was being treated like _dirt!_

Kain grimaced sympathetically at his cousin as he placed his dessert before him, muttering a quiet 'thanks.'

Sakura observed in thoughtful silence as Aidou served each of them their dishes, not missing the two vastly different responses to it. Something was strange about this. Noble vampires did not generally concern themselves with preparing meals, much less serving them. She knew, for she was one. Sure, perhaps he was doing it to make sure everything ran smoothly, that nothing cocked up.

But somehow, she doubted that. Aidou looked stressed and exhausted, yet his eyes burned with anger and resentment. She would almost have feared it was directed at her, but the way his eyes had lit up when their gazes met earlier was a very clear indication that it was just the opposite.

As he served her, he smiled widely, but hidden beneath that charming facade was something else... something that seemed almost like... humiliation.

Without a word, she got to her feet. 'Aidou-san, let's go for a walk, shall we?'

The blonde blinked in surprise at her. 'Uh, but, you haven't finished your dessert...?'

Sakura pretended not to notice how his gaze darted nervously toward Ruka. She stepped up to him, slipping her arm around his. 'That's alright, I'm quite full.' Then she glanced back slightly. 'Ruka-san, Akatsuki-san, is it okay if I steal Aidou away for a little while?'

Despite the perfunctory questioning tone, her expression firmly told them that she wasn't asking. Kain smiled, while Ruka gave a small, careless shrug.

'Right, then,' announced Sakura triumphantly, leading Aidou out of the room. 'Let's go, Aidou-san!'

'Uh, sure...' Said vampire threw Kain a helpless look, before they disappeared out the door.

The corner of Kain's lips curved upwards into a half-smile as he watched them leave. 'She takes shit from no one, doesn't she? Sticking up for him so readily... Looks like he finally found a keeper this time.'

Ruka said nothing, gazing thoughtfully towards the direction in which the pair had left. Well, well. Now _this_ was an unexpected development, wasn't it? Sakura was not one to be trifled with, indeed. Despite her carefree, easy-going appearance, she was way more observant and sly that she let on.

Apparently, things were about to get interesting around here...

She smiled faintly, flicking her hair over her shoulder. She picked up her dessert fork, a soft clink echoing around the now silent room. Both Kain's and her gazes were drawn to her left ring finger, on which a large, intricately-cut diamond ring rested snugly. Their eyes met, and her smile turned genuine, eyes softening and twinkling in happiness.

'Let's finish up dessert, Akatsuki, then we can go for a walk of our own too,' she invited graciously.

Her fiancé smiled.

XXX

_'Kuran_ Zero, are you ready yet? We're going to be late!'

Kaname leaned back against the doorjamb, propping the main door open with his foot. An amused smile tugged the corners of his lips upward as the hunter rounded the corner, striding towards him with murder in his eyes.

'Kaname, _stop_ calling me that already! I _didn't_ take your surname, you doofus!'

'Ah, a mere trifling detail. You're in my family registry now... or have you forgotten?' remarked the pureblood in satisfaction.

Zero growled. 'How could I, when you blew it up and hung it right next to the front door so I have no choice _but_ to have it staring in my face when I pass by!?' He jabbed his finger viciously towards the framed A5-sized certificate hanging on the wall, narrowing his eyes at it as if hoping to vaporise it with Kiryuu Zero's trademark glare.

Kaname's smile widened, gaze shifting to the document that had arrived a few days earlier. Maybe blowing it up to A5 had been _just_ a _little_ much, but he just hadn't been able to restrain himself. Seeing 'Kiryuu Zero' under his name on his family registry had filled him with such bursting joy that he had wanted to immortalise it, and have it somewhere it could always be seen. Somewhere Zero could see each time he left the house, reminding him that he had somewhere, or more specifically, _someone,_ to return to no matter what happened out there.

'That's only because I love you, Zero, and I love that you're part of my family now,' replied the pureblood adoringly.

Zero tried to keep the scowl on his face, but the way his lover was grinning goofily at him, eyes gazing tenderly at him as if he were the only thing in the world that mattered... He sighed heavily, forgoing what was clearly a losing battle.

'I love you too, Kaname, but let's get the cert somewhere a little less obtrusive okay? We don't want it to shock everyone who comes to visit.'

An indecipherable look passed across the pureblood's face, his smile turning sly. 'Mmm, alright then, how about putting it in your room? I've already put another copy in mine.'

Zero blinked, frowning slightly as he considered the expression on his lover's face.

Then his eyes narrowed. Had that been Kaname's plan all along? To get him to agree to hang it in his room, something he would have strongly opposed (he liked his plain bare walls, thank you very much), the pureblood had deliberately placed it somewhere highly embarrassing so that _anywhere_ else would seem like a better alternative.

'Kaname, I can't _believe_ you,' groaned the hunter, rolling his eyes.

His lover took a step forward, winding his arms around him lovingly. 'Come on, Zero,' he murmured silkily into his ear. 'There's that huge space near your bed that's just the perfect spot.'

Scowling, Zero pulled back slightly. 'l'm not-' His eyes widened. 'Nngh!'

The pureblood grinned as he felt a shudder run through his partner. He licked languidly over the earlobe that he had captured with his lips, the metal piercings clinking against his teeth.

'It's our "marriage" certificate, Zero... Don't you want it to be the last thing you see before sleeping, and the first thing you see after waking up?'

The hunter fixed him with an unreadable stare. 'Honestly? No.'

No...? Kaname frowned, unconsciously taking a step back. Okay, so maybe Zero didn't exactly have the same feelings as he did regarding the cert, but that was a little harsh, wasn't it? Saying 'no' so readily and resolutely... Did that mean that perhaps Zero had not wanted this after all? Could he have felt forced to agree to his "proposal" in the forest last week?

The pureblood's breath escaped him in a mad rush. Oh god, what if that were true? He had never wanted to make his lover do something he wasn't ready for. Had he unwittingly pushed too hard?

Zero sighed ruefully at the doubts swimming behind his lover's troubled eyes. Why was Kaname always so quick to jump to the worst possible conclusion, and hold himself solely accountable? He hated how Kaname thought so little of himself, despite how amazing and perfect he truly was.

His hands cupped Kaname's cheeks gently, raising those enchanting burgundy eyes to meet his.

'Kaname, listen well, okay? Because I'm not going to repeat this again.

**_You_** are the last thing I want to see before I sleep, and the first thing I see when I wake. Only you.' He smiled fondly. 'Not a piece of paper with our names on it.'

Kaname gazed at him, eyes wide, lips parted in surprise. _Him_? The reason why Zero had disagreed with him so instantly had been because of _him_? Really...?

Zero chuckled softly at the astonished expression on his lover's face. Surely Kaname had realised what his words had meant. How could he _not _have? It was mind-boggling how the pureblood was so adept at reading situations and people, yet when it came to Zero's love for him, he was continually getting surprised.

_Geez, does he doubt my love or something? That's a little offensive. __Honestly..._

He leaned forward, pressing a light kiss on his lover's lips. 'I love you, Kaname, and if you want me to hang it in my room, that's fine by me. Just continue making sure your face is what I see first and last, okay?'

Eyes shining with a sheen of tears, Kaname's arms enveloped the hunter tightly. 'Yes, Zero,' he agreed. 'I'll always be there.'

_I promise. _

_Today, tomorrow, and everyday thereafter. _

_For the many more years that we have after this, I'll always be here. _

_Holding you, __touching you..._

_...and loving you with everything that I have._

**_THE END._**

* * *

><p>Whew! This marks the end of my five-part story (fiveshot...? XD)! I think it kinda ended up weaving away from the New Year's theme though... Hopefully you all enjoy it anyway! Thanks so much for sticking with this story till now, and I hope you have (had, actually) an awesome New Year's! Please review, too! :D<p>

**Replies to my dear reviewers:**

**ben4kevin: **Oh, that's really nice to know! So this is just lots of silliness hahaha. Thank you for telling me! :) And thank you for your review! Hope you like this chapter, and that this fic satisfied your request for a New Year fic ^.^

**Guest: **Oh man, I feel so sorry for taking so long to update this time, right after you left that comment saying I updated quickly! And I enjoy replying to my reviewers, especially since they took the time to leave me their thoughts :) Each one makes me really happy, so I want to personally thank each one of you! :D I'm so glad you like the story, and that you're interested in the Japanese aspects of it! Chapter 1's title was **Ōmisoka - Toshikoshi Soba.** Ōmisoka means the last day of the outgoing year, i.e. the eve of New Year's Day, while Toshikoshi Soba is the year-crossing noodle, a traditional dish where the long noodles supposedly represent longevity. Chapter 3's title was **Hatsumōde, **and that means the first shrine/temple visit of the year, where people go to make wishes for the new year, draw fortunes, buy new amulets, etc. This chapter's title is **Zutto Aishiteru, **which means 'love you forever'. Hope these helped! And thank you for the review! Hope you enjoyed this story!

**Guest: **I'm so happy you liked it! I wanted it to be funny, and I was a little worried it was all kinda lame, so yay! Hopefully some parts of this chapter can make you laugh as well, though I guess this one's not as humorous as the others were. Haha what happened with Takuma's phone is up to the reader's imagination, though I will say that the line 'oh snap' that Takuma was thinking could be read two ways (picture those flip phones that the Japanese seem to still be using a lot HAHA). Haha harmless teasing can be a form of affection, though, so I'm sure your friends love you too :) Thank you for the review and hope you enjoy this chapter! :)

**Acrux: **I'm glad you liked the proposal! I thought the knighted part was just super ridiculous, but it made me crack up every time I read it, so I left it in XD So happy you found it amusing as well HAHA. Well, there's more Aidou and Sakura here as well! I hope that their scene was satisfying in showing their blossoming relationship :) We can imagine who's gonna be wearing the pants, can't we... XD Thank you for your review! Hope you liked this story :)

**Abyss Baskerville: **I really hope things have gotten better for you :( If they haven't, I hope you stay strong and hang in there! Things will get better in the end! Oh, sure! Is it the same username as the one you have here? I'll go check it out soon! I hope this story helped you feel a little better in the midst of what you are going through... HANG TOUGH, BLACKABYSS! :)

**Thank you everyone! See you all again soon... I hope. :D**


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